Automated ranked bid sales method and system
OwnerJames P. Hanley, Walter T. Van Wyckinventors
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Abstract
The present invention includes a system and method for providing automatic ranked bid sales. A computerized bid paddle or other identifier is utilized to allow a bidder to place bids anonymous to other bidders. A relative ranking of placed bids is provided and associated with the bid paddle but an exact amount of a bid is not disclosed. Various tracking and communication is also provided between an auction provider and a bidder in order to emulate the role of a traditional auctioneer. Each identifier is unique to a particular bidder for a particular sale of an item to be auctioned. A description of the auctioned item to be sold is also transmitted and a plurality of bids for the item to be sold is received.
Claims23
A method of providing an automated rank bid sale, the method comprising:
- transmitting unique identifiers to a plurality of bidders, wherein each identifier is unique to a particular bidder for a particular sale of an auction item;
- transmitting a description of the auctioned item to be sold;
- receiving a plurality of bids for the item to be sold, wherein each bid is associated with a unique identifier;
- ranking the unique identifiers associated with each bid received according to the amount of the associated bid;
- and
- transmitting an indication of the ranked unique identifiers.
5 The method for an automated rank bid sale of claim 1 wherein the bidder associated with the unique identifier is kept anonymous to other bidders.
A computerized system for providing an automated rank bid sale over a distributed network, the system comprising:
- a computer server accessible with a network access device via a communications network;
- and
- executable software stored on the server and executable on demand, the software operative with the server to cause the system to:
- transmit unique identifiers to a plurality of bidders, wherein each identifier is unique to a particular bidder for a particular sale of an auction item;
- transmit a description of the auctioned item to be sold;
- receive a plurality of bids for the item to be sold, wherein each bid is associated with a unique identifier;
- rank the unique identifiers associated with each bid received according to the amount of the associated bid;
- and
- transmit an indication of the ranked unique identifiers.
Computer executable program code residing on a computer-readable medium, the program code comprising instructions for causing the computer to:
- transmit unique identifiers to a plurality of bidders, wherein each identifier is unique to a particular bidder for a particular sale of an auction item;
- transmit a description of the auctioned item to be sold;
- receive a plurality of bids for the item to be sold, wherein each bid is associated with a unique identifier;
- rank the unique identifiers associated with each bid received according to the amount of the associated bid;
- and
- transmit an indication of the ranked unique identifiers.
A computer data signal embodied in a digital data stream comprising data relating to auctions, wherein the computer data signal is generated by a method comprising the steps of:
- transmitting unique identifiers to a plurality of bidders, wherein each identifier is unique to a particular bidder for a particular sale of an auction item;
- transmitting a description of the auctioned item to be sold;
- receiving a plurality of bids for the item to be sold, wherein each bid is associated with a unique identifier;
- ranking the unique identifiers associated with each bid received according to the amount of the associated bid;
- and
- transmitting an indication of the ranked unique identifiers.
A computer implemented method for participating in a ranked bid sale, the method comprising:
- receiving an anonymous bidder identifier unique for a particular sale of an auction item;
- receiving a description of the auctioned item to be sold;
- transmitting a bid for the item to be sold, wherein the bid is associated with the anonymous bidder identifier;
- and
- receiving a ranked indication of whether the anonymous identifier is associated with a winning bid relative to other anonymous identifiers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.