Method, apparatus, and system for bidding in rounds
First Claim
1. A method of conducting an auction comprising:
- defining, prior to a first auction, a rule for a second auction based at least in part on user input, the rule limiting participation of bidders in the second auction based on an occurrence in the first auction;
conducting the first auction having a first set of bidders;
designating one or more bidders in the first set of bidders as winners of the first auction;
determining, by a processor, participation of bidders from the first set of bidders in the second auction, in accordance with an application of the rule;
conducting the second auction based on the determined participation; and
designating one or more bidders in the second auction as winners of the second auction;
wherein if the first auction is a forward auction, that which is auctioned in the first and second auctions represents a first portion and a second portion, respectively, of what a seller seeks to sell; and
wherein if the first auction is a reverse auction, that which is auctioned in the first and second auctions represents a first portion and a second portion, respectively, of what a buyer seeks to buy.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of conducting an auction in at least two rounds is disclosed. The method includes conducting the first auction round, applying a rule to an occurrence in the first auction round, and conducting the second auction round in accordance with the application of the rule to the occurrence in the first auction round. A system for conducting an auction in at least two rounds is also disclosed. The system includes a sponsor processor, a first bidder processor communicating with the sponsor processor, and a second bidder processor communicating with the sponsor processor. In the system, the sponsor processor contains instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to conduct the first auction round, apply a rule to an occurrence in the first auction round, and conduct a second auction round in accordance with the applied rule.
83 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of conducting an auction comprising:
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defining, prior to a first auction, a rule for a second auction based at least in part on user input, the rule limiting participation of bidders in the second auction based on an occurrence in the first auction; conducting the first auction having a first set of bidders; designating one or more bidders in the first set of bidders as winners of the first auction; determining, by a processor, participation of bidders from the first set of bidders in the second auction, in accordance with an application of the rule; conducting the second auction based on the determined participation; and designating one or more bidders in the second auction as winners of the second auction; wherein if the first auction is a forward auction, that which is auctioned in the first and second auctions represents a first portion and a second portion, respectively, of what a seller seeks to sell; and wherein if the first auction is a reverse auction, that which is auctioned in the first and second auctions represents a first portion and a second portion, respectively, of what a buyer seeks to buy. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of conducting an auction, comprising:
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conducting a first auction among a plurality of bidders; awarding a contract to one or more winners of the first auction; and conducting a second auction among a set of bidders that only includes those bidders determined by a processor to have not been awarded a contract in the first auction; wherein if the first auction is a forward auction, that which is auctioned in the first and second auctions represents a first portion and a second portion, respectively, of what a seller seeks to sell; and wherein if the first auction is a reverse auction, that which is auctioned in the first and second auctions represents a first portion and a second portion, respectively, of what a buyer seeks to buy. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system for conducting an auction, comprising:
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a sponsor processor; a first bidder processor communicating with said sponsor processor; and a second bidder processor communicating with said sponsor processor; wherein said sponsor processor contains instructions which, when executed by said processor, cause said processor to; conduct a first auction having a first set of bidders; designate one or more bidders in the first set of bidders as winners of the first auction; apply a rule to an occurrence in the first auction, the rule limiting participation of bidders in a second auction based on the occurrence in the first auction; determine participation of bidders from the first set of bidders in the second auction, in accordance with an application of the rule; conduct the second auction based on the determined participation; and designate one or more winners of the second auction; wherein if the first auction is a forward auction, that which is auctioned in the first and second auctions represents a first portion and a second portion, respectively, of what a seller seeks to sell; and wherein if the first auction is a reverse auction, that which is auctioned in the first and second auctions represents a first portion and a second portion, respectively, of what a buyer seeks to buy. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A computer readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
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conduct a first auction having a first set of bidders; apply a rule to an occurrence in the first auction, the rule limiting participation of bidders in a second auction based on the occurrence in the first auction; and conduct the second auction based on the determined participation; wherein if the first auction is a forward auction, that which is auctioned in the first and second auctions represents a first portion and a second portion, respectively, of what a seller seeks to sell; and wherein if the first auction is a reverse auction, that which is auctioned in the first and second auctions represents a first portion and a second portion, respectively, of what a buyer seeks to buy.
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29. A bidding device operated by a bidder during an online auction, said bidding device comprising:
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a memory configured to store one or more bids received from the bidder; and a communication interface configured to submit the one or more bids to a sponsor processor during a first auction; wherein the sponsor processor is configured to apply a rule to an occurrence in the first auction, the rule limiting participation of bidders in a second auction based on the occurrence in the first auction; and wherein the bidding device is selectively enabled to determine participation of the bidder in the second auction in accordance with an application of the rule, and to allow the bidder to submit bids to the sponsor processor in the second auction based on the determined participation; wherein if the first auction is a forward auction, that which is auctioned in the first and second auctions represents a first portion and a second portion, respectively, of what a seller seeks to sell; and wherein if the first auction is a reverse auction, that which is auctioned in the first and second auctions represents a first portion and a second portion, respectively, of what a buyer seeks to buy. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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Specification