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.

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:
 first computer code generated by a server, able to be downloaded and executed by a plurality of remote terminals, to cause any such remote terminal that has downloaded the code to operate in a first competitive bidding mode in which the remote terminal would display auction information including information about the auction item, the current high bid on the item as of the last update of the remote terminal, and an indication of the predetermined ending time of the auction, all without automatic updating of said auction information displayed by the remote terminal during the first competitive bidding mode;   second computer code generated by a server, able to be downloaded and executed by a plurality of remote terminals, to cause any such remote terminal that has downloaded the code to operate in a second competitive bidding mode in which the remote terminal would display auction information including information about the auction item, the current high bid on the item as of the last update of the remote terminal, and an indication of the predetermined ending time of the auction, with automatic updating of said auction information displayed by the remote terminal during the second competitive bidding mode; and   third computer code generated by a server to cause the server to automatically provide the first computer code for download by said plurality of terminals during the first competitive bidding mode that is before a set and predetermined transition time that is before the predetermined ending time of the auction, and to cause the server to automatically provide the second computer code for download by said plurality of terminals during the second competitive bidding mode that is after a set and predetermined transition time that is before the predetermined ending time of the auction.   
     
     
         17 . The computer-code product of  claim 16  in which the first computer code can be executed on a browser. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-code product of  claim 17  in which the mode transition time is approximately one hour before the auction ending time. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-code product of  claim 16  in which the plurality of remote terminals includes cellular telephones. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-code product of  claim 17  in which the plurality of remote terminals includes cellular telephones.