Countdown on-line auction clock

Abstract

A method is disclosed herein for displaying time lapse for an on-line auction for an item in a computer. According to the method, the processor time in the computer is obtained and compared to the official auction time for the items being auctioned in the on-line auction which is obtained from the on-line auction service. The users computer compares the obtained processor time to the obtained official auction time and correlates the end of time from the on-line auction service to a processor end of time which corresponds to the user's time. The computer then displays the time left correlated to the processor's time preferably in a visual countdown graphical icon.

1 . A method for displaying time left for an on-line auction of an item in a computer, said method comprising the steps of: 
 obtaining the processor time in the computer,    obtaining the official auction time for said on-line auction in the computer,    obtaining the auction time left for said item,    comparing in the computer the obtained processor time to the obtained official auction time,    determining in the computer the processor time left for said item in said on-line auction based on the processor time in response to the comparing step and said obtained auction time left.    displaying in the computer the processor time left for said item.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of displaying includes the step of visually counting down the time left in at least one graphical icon.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the graphical icon is a clock face having an indicator moving in a direction towards zero wherein zero corresponds to the end of said on-line auction.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the step of displaying includes providing a plurality of graphical icons, each of said plurality of graphical icon corresponding to a predetermined time period.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said plurality of graphical icon includes a first graphical icon corresponding to a predetermined time period of 60 minutes.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said plurality of graphical icon includes a first graphical icon corresponding to a predetermined time period of 30 minutes.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said plurality of graphical icon includes a first graphical icon corresponding to a predetermined time period of 10 minutes.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said plurality of graphical icon includes a first graphical icon corresponding to a predetermined time period of 60 seconds.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  further including the steps of: 
 providing an icon during said on-line auction,    clicking on the icon to activate the displaying of the time left.    
   
   
       10 . A method for displaying time left for an on-line auction in a computer, said method comprising the steps of: 
 obtaining the processor time in the computer,    obtaining the official auction time for said on-line auction in the computer,    setting the processor time to the obtained official auction time,    determining in the computer the time left for said on-line auction based on the processor time in response to the comparing step,    displaying in the computer the time left.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the step of displaying includes the step of visually counting down the time left in at least one graphical icon.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the graphical icon is a clock face having an indicator moving in a direction towards zero wherein zero corresponds to the end of said on-line auction.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the step of displaying includes providing a plurality of graphical icons, each of said plurality of graphical icon corresponding to a predetermined time period.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said plurality of graphical icon includes a first graphical icon corresponding to a predetermined time period of 60 minutes.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said plurality of graphical icon includes a first graphical icon corresponding to a predetermined time period of 30 minutes.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said plurality of graphical icon includes a first graphical icon corresponding to a predetermined time period of 10 minutes.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said plurality of graphical icon includes a first graphical icon corresponding to a predetermined time period of 60 seconds.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 10  further including the steps of: 
 providing an icon during the said on-line auction,    clicking on the icon to activate the displaying of the time left.    
   
   
       19 . A method for displaying time left for an on-line auction in a computer, said method comprising the steps of: 
 obtaining the processor time in the computer,    obtaining the auction time for said on-line auction in the computer,    comparing in the computer the obtained processor time to the obtained auction time,    determining in the computer the time left for said on-line auction based on the processor time in response to the comparing step,    displaying in the computer the time left.