Interactive remote auction bidding system

Abstract

An interactive remote auction bidding system for conducting an auction utilizes a data input device for communication over a network to the auction site. The system includes a data processor located at the auction site for generating bid information for communication over the network to the remote locations. A processor located at the auction side monitors the participants' data input devices for sensing participant bids generated by the participants' data input devices. The system further displays visual bid information at the auction site for transmission over the network to the participants and generates audible bid information in support of that visual bid information.

1 . A graphical display in communication with an auction system to provided auction related information regarding a subject-matter of an auction, the graphical display comprising: 
 a bid portion to display a bid amount related to a current bid price for the subject-matter of the auction, the bid portion operable in response to the auction system accepting a new bid price to update the bid amount with the new bid price; and    an ask portion to display an ask amount related to a current ask price for the subject-matter of the auction, the ask price operable in response to the auction system accepting the new bid price to update the ask amount with a new ask amount.    
   
   
       2 . The graphical display of  claim 1 , wherein the bid portion and the ask portion are displayable in a graphical user interface window on a computer system monitor.  
   
   
       3 . The graphical display of  claim 1 , wherein the bid portion and the ask portion are displayable in a video broadcast.  
   
   
       4 . The graphical display of  claim 1 , further comprising a bidder portion to display a bidder identifier to identify a bidder associated with the bid amount displayed in the bid portion.  
   
   
       5 . The graphical display of  claim 1 , further comprising a bid increment portion to display a bid increment associated with an amount the ask amount is increased relative to the bid amount.  
   
   
       6 . The graphical display of  claim 5 , further wherein the ask amount displayed in the ask portion is obtained by increasing the bid amount by the bid increment.  
   
   
       7 . The graphical display of  claim 1 , further comprising a status portion including a close bidding indicator, a warning indicator, and a start bidding indicator.  
   
   
       8 . The graphical display of  claim 7 , wherein the status portion includes a stoplight symbol positioned such that a green light portion of the stoplight symbol is associated with the start bidding indicator, a yellow light portion of the stoplight symbol is associated with the warning indicator, and a red light portion of the stoplight symbol is associated with the close bidding indicator.  
   
   
       9 . The graphical display of  claim 1 , further comprising a currency indicator indicating the currency of the bid amount and the ask amount.  
   
   
       10 . The graphical display of  claim 9 , wherein the currency indicator is selected from a group of currency indicators including a currency name, a currency symbol, a country name, a country symbol, and a country flag.  
   
   
       11 . The graphical display of  claim 1 , further comprising a first and a second currency indicators disposed adjacent the bid and ask portions, and wherein the bid amount and the ask amount are provided in a first and second currencies such that the bid and ask amounts in the first currency are associated with the first currency indicator and such that the bid and ask amounts in the second currency are associated with the second currency indicator.  
   
   
       12 . The graphical display of  claim 1 , further comprising a subject-matter identifier portion to display a subject-matter identifier associated with the subject-matter of the auction.  
   
   
       13 . The graphical display of  claim 12 , wherein the subject-matter identifier is a lot number associated with the subject-matter of the auction.  
   
   
       14 . The graphical display of  claim 12 , wherein the subject-matter identifier is an item name associated with the subject-matter of the auction.  
   
   
       15 . An system for providing interactive voice responses to participants of an auction, the system comprising: 
 an auction system operable to maintain information related to a subject of an auction and to communicate regarding auctioning the subject of the auction;    a plurality of auction participants in communication with the auction system; and    an interactive voice response system in communication with the auction system and at least some of the auction participants, the interactive voice response system operable in response to receiving a bid from one of the auction participants to communicate a voice response to other participants affected by the bid.    
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein at least some of the plurality of participants communicate with the auction system via a telephone.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein at least some of the plurality of participants communicate with the auction system via a computer system.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the interactive voice response system is further operable in response to the auction system receiving a new high bid for the subject of the auction to notify a previous high bidder participant regarding the new high bid.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the interactive voice response system is further operable in response to the auction system closing bidding on the subject of the auction to notify at least some of the plurality of auction participants regarding closing the auction for the subject of the auction.  
   
   
       20 . A method for providing interactive voice responses to participants of an auction, the method comprising: 
 communicating to an auction system, by a first auction participant system, a first bid for a subject of the auction;    determining whether the first bid is a current high bid for the subject of the auction;    notifying, by the auction system via a voice response system of the auction system, a first user of the first auction participant system that the user is a current high bidder where the first bid is the current high bid for the subject of the auction;    communicating to the auction system, by a second auction participant system, a second bid for a subject of the auction;    determining whether the second bid is the current high bid for the subject of the auction; 
 notifying, by the auction system via the voice response system, a second user of the second auction participant system that the second user is the current high bidder where the second bid is the current high bid for the subject of the auction; and  
   notifying, by the auction system via the voice response system, the first user of the first auction participant system that the user is no longer the current high bidder where the second user is the current high bidder.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising notifying a plurality of auction participant systems of an end of the auction for the subject of the auction.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the first and second auction participant systems are defined as telephone systems.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the first auction participant systems is defined as telephone system and the second auction system is defined as a computer system.