# US 10,769,719 B1 · Electronic bidding service using an item authority > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,769,719 B1 - Document ID: US10769719B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 15/673,132 - Filed: 2017-08-09 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2006-03-27 - Assignees: Amazon Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Amazon Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Scott Kerns Windsor; Matthew K. Green - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10769719B1 ## CPC - G06Q 30/08: Auctions - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract An electronic bidding service is described which substantially automatically acquires items for buyers in response to bidding information entered by the buyers. To function in this manner, the electronic bidding service makes use of an item authority. The item authority links items specified in different offers to master reference information associated with the items, thereby allowing the electronic bidding service to identify groups of offers which are selling the same or related item. In one case, a buyer can instruct the electronic bidding service to obtain a desired item from a specific offer. If this bid is unsuccessful, the electronic bidding service can extend the bidding procedure to one or more other offers that feature the same or related item. This extension is based on the master reference information. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: one or more processors; and one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: receiving, via a bidder user interface on a customer device, bidding information corresponding to a bid to acquire an item; determining whether the bidding information provides a first instruction to acquire the item from one or more specified offers of a plurality of offers or whether the bidding information provides a second instruction to acquire the item from any offer of the plurality of offers, wherein the plurality of offers feature the item; upon determining that the bidding information provides the first instruction to acquire the item from the one or more specified offers of the plurality of offers: identifying the one or more specified offers; placing a first bid on a first offer of the one or more specified offers; and based at least in part on a first determination that the first bid on the first offer is unsuccessful, automatically placing a second bid on a second offer of the one or more specified offers; and upon determining that the bidding information provides the second instruction to acquire the item from any offer of the plurality of offers: identifying, based at least in part on the bidding information and offer information associated with the plurality of offers, a third offer of the plurality of offers; placing a third bid on the third offer; and based at least in part on a second determination that the third bid on the third offer is unsuccessful: automatically identifying, based at least in part on the bidding information and the offer information, a fourth offer for a same or a related item without receiving additional information via the bidder user interface, wherein the same or the related item is associated with a same or a related code to a code associated with the item; and automatically placing a fourth bid on the fourth offer for the same or the related item. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system as claim 1 recites, the operations further comprising: based at least in part on a third determination that the second bid on the second offer is unsuccessful, causing a presentation on the customer device of an option to acquire the item from any offer of the plurality of offers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system as claim 1 recites, the operations further comprising: receiving, from the customer device, data identifying the one or more specified offers; and storing the data identifying the one or more specified offers in a datastore, the one or more specified offers being associated with a customer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system as claim 1 recites, the operations further comprising: determining an end time associated with a closure of the first offer; and determining that a current time is within a threshold time of the end time, wherein placing the first bid on the first offer is based at least in part on a third determination that the current time is within the threshold time of the end time. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system as claim 1 recites, the operations further comprising: determining that the second bid on the second offer of the one or more specified offers is unsuccessful; and sending a notification that the second bid on the second offer was unsuccessful to the customer device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system as claim 1 recites, wherein the first bid comprises a bid for a first amount of money, and the second bid comprises a bid for a second amount of money, the second amount of money being greater than the first amount of money. ### Claim 7 One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: receiving, from a customer device, bidding information corresponding to a bid to acquire an item; determining whether the bidding information provides a first instruction to acquire the item from one or more specified offers of a plurality of offers or whether the bidding information provides a second instruction to acquire the item from any offer of the plurality of offers, wherein the plurality of offers feature the item; upon determining that the bidding information provides the first instruction to acquire the item from the one or more specified offers of the plurality of offers: identifying the one or more specified offers; and placing a first bid on a first offer of the one or more specified offers; and upon determining that the bidding information provides the second instruction to acquire the item from any offer of the plurality of offers: identifying, based at least in part on the bidding information and offer information associated with the plurality of offers, a second offer of the plurality of offers; placing a second bid on the second offer; and based at least in part on a determination that the second bid on the second offer is unsuccessful: automatically identifying based at least in part on the bidding information and the offer information associated with the plurality of offers, a third offer for a same or a related item without receiving additional information via a bidder user interface accessible to the customer device, wherein the same or the related item is associated with a same or a related code to a code associated with the item; and automatically placing a third bid on the third offer for the same or the related item. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as claim 7 recites, wherein the determination that the second bid is unsuccessful comprises a first determination, the operations further comprising: determining an end time associated with a closure of the first offer; and determining that a current time is within a threshold time of the end time, wherein the placing the first bid on the first offer is based at least in part on a second determination that the current time is within the threshold time of the end time. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as claim 7 recites, wherein the determination that the second bid is unsuccessful comprises a first determination, the operations further comprising: based at least in part on a second determination that the first bid on the first offer is unsuccessful, automatically placing another bid on the first offer, wherein the other bid on the first offer comprises: a bid for a pre-determined amount of money; or a pre-determined increase to an amount of money associated with the first bid on the first offer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as claim 7 recites, the operations further comprising: receiving an indication of a maximum amount of money available for bidding on the first offer; determining that the first bid on the first offer is unsuccessful; and iteratively bidding on the first offer until the maximum amount of money is reached or the first offer is no longer available. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as claim 7 recites, the operations further comprising: determining that the first bid on the first offer is unsuccessful; generating a notification that the first bid was unsuccessful; and sending the notification to the customer device for display via the bidder user interface accessible to the customer device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as claim 7 recites, the operations further comprising: receiving, from the customer device, data identifying the first offer that features the item; and storing the data identifying the first offer in a datastore, the first offer being associated with a customer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as claim 7 recites, the operations further comprising: determining that the first bid is unsuccessful; and causing a presentation, on the customer device, of an option to acquire the item from any offer of the plurality of offers. ### Claim 14 A server computing device comprising: one or more processors; and one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: receiving, from a customer device, bidding information corresponding to a bid to acquire an item; determining whether the bidding information provides a first instruction to acquire the item from one or more specified offers of a plurality of offers or whether the bidding information provides a second instruction to acquire the item from any offer of the plurality of offers, wherein the plurality of offers feature the item; upon determining that the bidding information provides the first instruction to acquire the item from the one or more specified offers of the plurality of offers: identifying a first offer of the one or more specified offers that features the item; and placing a first bid on the first offer; and upon determining that the bidding information provides the second instruction to acquire the item from any offer of the plurality of offers: identifying, based at least in part on the bidding information and offer information associated with the plurality of offers, a second offer, of the plurality of offers, that features the item; placing a second bid on the second offer; and based at least in part on a determination that the second bid is unsuccessful: automatically identifying, based at least in part on the bidding information and the offer information associated with the plurality of offers, a third offer, of the plurality of offers, for a same or a related item, without receiving additional information via a bidder user interface accessible to the customer device, wherein the same or the related item is associated with a same or a related code to a code associated with the item; and automatically bidding on the third offer for the same or the related item. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The server computing device as claim 14 recites, wherein the determination comprises a first determination, the operations further comprising: based at least in part on a second determination that the first bid on the first offer is unsuccessful, automatically placing another bid on the first offer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The server computing device as claim 14 recites, wherein the determination comprises a first determination, the operations further comprising: determining an end time associated with a closure of the first offer; and determining that a current time is within a threshold time of the end time, wherein the placing the first bid on the first offer is based at least in part on a second determination that the current time is within the threshold time of the end time. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The server computing device as claim 14 recites, the operations further comprising: receiving an indication of a maximum amount of money available for bidding on the first offer; determining that the first bid on the first offer is unsuccessful; and iteratively bidding on the first offer until the maximum amount of money is reached or the first offer is no longer available. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The server computing device as claim 14 recites, the operations further comprising: determining that the first bid is unsuccessful; and sending a notification to the customer device that the first bid was unsuccessful. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The server computing device as claim 14 recites, the operations further comprising: determining that the first bid is unsuccessful; and causing a presentation, on the customer device, of an option to acquire the item from any offer of the plurality of offers. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The server computing device as claim 14 recites, the operations further comprising: receiving, from the customer device, data identifying the first offer; and storing the data identifying the first offer in a datastore, the first offer being associated with a customer.