Real time auction with end game

Abstract

A real time auction system operates in a non real time mode, and an end game mode in which the users are placed in a forum. In both modes the users are capable of placing bids along with times when those bids should be executed. An agent treats the bids as secret until the time, and then at the time executes those bids.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of hosting a computer-based auction over the internet, comprising:
 using a computer to produce information representing a webpage indicative of an electronic auction, where said webpage shows bid amounts and accepts bids over the internet;   said computer producing second information as part of said information representing a webpage, said second information having a first parameter indicative of an ending time for said electronic auction;   said computer also storing information indicative of time intervals between updates of said webpage;   prior to said ending time, said computer, in response to a manual request to open or refresh said webpage indicative of an electronic auction from a user of one or more client computers, transmitting said entire webpage indicative of an electronic auction;   wherein said webpage indicative of an electronic auction automatically receives new bid information at said time interval without users of said one or more client computers making a manual request for said new information, and does not update said entire webpage indicative of an electronic auction unless said users of said one or more client computers makes a manual request to refresh said entire webpage indicative of an electronic auction.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the time intervals increase the frequency of updates. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said portion that is updated includes changes in price and minimum bid in the auction. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said portion that is updated includes changes in a user's status. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said user's status further comprises an indication that the user currently has a winning bid. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein when a user of one of said clients bids on said auction through said webpage, the bid causes the user's webpage to update. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the time interval between updates decreases based on a user indicating a desire to participate in the auction. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the indication of desire is the user bidding in the auction through said webpage. 
     
     
         9 . A method of hosting a computer-based auction over the internet, comprising:
 using a computer to produce information representing a webpage indicative of an electronic auction, where said webpage shows bid amounts and accepts bids over the internet;   said computer producing second information as part of said information representing a webpage, said second information having a first parameter indicative of an ending time for said electronic auction;   prior to said ending time, said computer carrying out the auction in a first mode, in which said computer transmits said entire webpage indicative of an electronic auction in response to a manual request to open or refresh said webpage indicative of an electronic auction from a user of one or more client computers;   said webpage capable of receiving an indication of interest from a user of one or more client computers.   after said webpage receives an indication of interest, said webpage carrying out the auction in a second mode, wherein said webpage automatically receives new auction information and updates said webpage with said new auction information, without users of said one or more client computers making a manual request for said new information.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said portion that is updated includes changes in price and minimum bid in the auction. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said portion that is updated includes changes in a user's status. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein when a user of one of said clients bids on said auction through said webpage the bid causes the user's webpage to update. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the indication of interest is the user bidding on the auction through said webpage. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said update does not update said entire webpage indicative of an electronic auction unless said user of said one or more client computers makes a manual request to refresh said entire webpage indicative of an electronic auction. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said webpage also updates with said new auction information at specified time intervals. 
     
     
         16 . A computer-code product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium for conducting a multiple mode, computer-based auction, the computer-code product comprising:
 computer code configured to operate the remote terminal in an viewing mode in which the remote terminal receives and displays auction information from a server that is infrequently or not automatically updated without a user of the remote terminal requesting updated auction information;   computer code configured to operate the remote terminal in an end game mode in which the remote terminal receives and displays auction information from the server, the auction information being frequently sent to the remote terminal by the server and automatically received and displayed on the remote terminal without the user of the remote terminal requesting updated auction information; and   computer code configured to automatically transition the server between the viewing mode and the end game mode;   wherein the computer code configured to operate the remote terminal in the viewing mode is downloaded from the server to the remote terminal when the remote terminal joins the auction prior to the server transitioning to end- game mode; and   wherein the computer code configured to operate the remote terminal in the end game mode is downloaded from the server to the remote terminal either when the remote terminal refreshes after the server transitions to end game mode if the remote terminal joins the auction prior to the server transitioning to end game mode or when the remote terminal joins the auction if the remote terminal joins the auction after the server transitions to end game mode.   
     
     
         17 . The computer code product of  claim 16 , wherein the auction information is displayed in a browser on the remote terminal and wherein the computer code configured to operate the remote terminal in the on-line mode is configured to send an update command to the browser at specified intervals. 
     
     
         18 . The computer code product of  claim 17 , wherein the computer code configured to operate the remote terminal in the end game mode is configured to decrease the specified intervals and thus increase the frequency of update commands sent to the browser as the auction nears its end time. 
     
     
         19 . The computer code product of  claim 16 , further comprising computer code configured to operate the remote terminal in the end game mode further comprises computer code for operating the remote terminal in a going mode, the going mode being configured to run near the end of the end game mode and during the going mode the frequency of updates sent to the remote terminal by the server is automatically increased as an end time of the auction approaches. 
     
     
         20 . The computer code product of  claim 19 , wherein the computer code configured to operate the remote terminal in the end game mode is configured to operate the remote terminal in going mode within a predetermined time window before the end time of the auction.