IP Library Granted Patent US 8,046,269
Granted Patent B2
US 8,046,269 · App. 11/700,128 · Granted Oct 25, 2011

Auction based procurement system

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,046,269
App. No.
11/700,128
Granted
Oct 25, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method and system for performing an auction by determining a request for an item based on at least one of (i) an item to purchase, (ii) a performance specification of the item to purchase, and (iii) a term of a request for the item to purchase. The method and system include sending, through a network, the request for the item to an auctioneer machine server. Performance information is collected for each seller. Notice is provided that a performance evaluation has been received for a specific seller, and is on record with the provider of the information. Additional transaction costs may be captured and included as a separate line item in an auto-rebid auction environment.

Claims (67)

1. A method for performing an auction, comprising:

receiving, through a network, a request for an item by a requester, from a first device;

sending, through the network, the request for the item to a second device;

receiving, through the network, a first bid from a first bidder via the second device, the first bid corresponding to the request for the item;

sending, through the network, the request for the item to a third device;

receiving, through the network, a second bid from a second bidder via the third device, the second bid corresponding to the request for the item;

providing, through the network, bidder information to the requester, wherein the bidder information includes:

(1) a description of at least one of a first performance alert associated with the first bidder from a previous auction involving the first bidder and a second performance alert associated with the second bidder from a previous auction involving the second bidder, the first performance alert indicating unsatisfactory performance by the first bidder or a negative comment regarding the first bidder, and the second performance alert indicating unsatisfactory performance by the second bidder or a negative comment regarding the second bidder,

(2) for each previous requester in a previous auction who submitted a request for an item that resulted in a selection of a bid submitted by the first bidder:

(a) an identity of the previous requester, and

(b) a number of the first performance alerts by the previous requester, and

(3) for each previous requester in a previous auction who submitted a request for an item that resulted in a selection of a bid submitted by the second bidder:

(a) an identity of the previous requester, and

(b) a number of the second performance alerts by the previous requester,

ranking the first bid and the second bid based on a comparison of each bid, the ranking including a first status indicator for the first bid and a second status indicator for the second bid, each of the first and second status indicators indicating one of a leading bid and a lagging bid;

initiating a re-bid for each lagging bid, the re-bid initiation including comparing each leading bid with a pre-set limit for the sender of the lagging bid; and

determining a result of the auction based on the request for the item, the first bid and the second bid;

wherein the result of the auction is based on a match between the request for the item and at least one bid, the at least one bid being selected from a plurality of received bids, the plurality of received bids including the first bid and the second bid, the match including at least one of (i) an exact match between the request for the item and at least one bid, and (ii) the at least one bid satisfying the request for the item.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bidder information for corresponding to the first bidder and the second bidder is provided to a sender of the request.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the result of the auction is based on the bidder information.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bidder information further includes, (2) for each previous requester in a previous auction who submitted a request for an item that resulted in a selection of a bid submitted by the first bidder:

(c) the earliest date that the first bidder has submitted a bid corresponding to a request for an item by the previous requester,

(d) a number and a total value amount of the previous auctions where the previous requester submitted a request for an item and which resulted in a selection of a bid submitted by the first bidder, and

(e) a number of the performance alerts associated with the first bidder and with the previous requester, and

wherein the bidder information further includes, (3) for each previous requester in a previous auction who submitted a request for an item that resulted in a selection of a bid submitted by the second bidder:

(c) the earliest date that the second bidder has submitted a bid corresponding to a request for an item by the previous requester,

(d) a number and a total value amount of the previous auctions where the previous requester submitted a request for an item and which resulted in a selection of a bid submitted by the second bidder, and

(e) a number of the performance alerts associated with the second bidder and with the previous requester.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the description of the first performance alert associated with the first bidder from a previous auction involving the first bidder includes:

(a) an identity of the previous auction,

(a) a name of an entity corresponding to a previous requester in the previous auction,

(c) a name and an email address of an individual corresponding to the previous requester in the previous auction, and

(d) a value amount of the previous auction, and

wherein the description of the second performance alert associated with the second bidder from a previous auction involving the second bidder includes:

(a) an identity of the previous auction,

(a) a name of an entity corresponding to a previous requester in the previous auction,

(c) a name and an email address of an individual corresponding to the previous requester in the previous auction, and

(d) a value amount of the previous auction.

6. A method for performing an on-line auction, the method comprising:

receiving, via a network, a bid request for an item by a requester;

receiving, via the network, at least two bids in response to the bid request, each bid corresponding to a bidder, and the at least two bids including a first bid by a first bidder and a second bid by a second bidder;

providing, through the network, bidder information to the requester, wherein the bidder information includes:

(1) a description of at least one of a first performance alert associated with the first bidder from a previous auction involving the first bidder and a second performance alert associated with the second bidder from a previous auction involving the second bidder, the first performance alert indicating unsatisfactory performance by the first bidder or a negative comment regarding the first bidder, and the second performance alert indicating unsatisfactory performance by the second bidder or a negative comment regarding the second bidder,

(2) for each previous requester in a previous auction who submitted a bid request that resulted in a selection of a bid submitted by the first bidder:

(a) an identity of the previous requester, and

(b) a number of the first performance alerts by the previous requester, and

(3) for each previous requester in a previous auction who submitted a bid request that resulted in a selection of a bid submitted by the second bidder:

(a) an identity of the previous requester, and

(b) a number of the second performance alerts by the previous requester;

ranking each bid of the at least two bids via a rank indicator, each rank indicator indicating one of a leading bid, a lagging bid, and a no-bid;

notifying, via the network, each bidder corresponding to each bid of the at least two bids, of the rank indicator of the respective bid; and

initiating a re-bid for each lagging bid, the re-bid initiation including comparing each leading bid with a pre-set limit for the bidder corresponding to the lagging bid.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the result of the auction is based on the bidder information.

8. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to perform an online auction, the control logic comprising computer readable program code which, when executed, causes the computer to perform the steps of:

receiving, via a network, a bid request for an item by a requester;

receiving, via the network, at least two bids in response to the bid request, each bid corresponding to a bidder, and the at least two bids including a first bid by a first bidder and a second bid by a second bidder;

providing, through the network, bidder information to the requester, wherein the bidder information includes:

(1) a description of at least one of a first performance alert associated with the first bidder from a previous auction involving the first bidder and a second performance alert associated with the second bidder from a previous auction involving the second bidder, the first performance alert indicating unsatisfactory performance by the first bidder or a negative comment regarding the first bidder, and the second performance alert indicating unsatisfactory performance by the second bidder or a negative comment regarding the second bidder,

(2) for each previous requester in a previous auction who submitted a bid request that resulted in a selection of a bid submitted by the first bidder:

(a) an identity of the previous requester, and

(b) a number of the first performance alerts by the previous requester, and

(3) for each previous requester in a previous auction who submitted a bid request that resulted in a selection of a bid submitted by the second bidder:

(a) an identity of the previous requester, and

(b) a number of the second performance alerts by the previous requester;

ranking each bid of the at least two bids via a rank indicator, each rank indicator indicating one of a leading bid, a lagging bid, and a no-bid;

notifying, via the network, each bidder corresponding to each bid of the at least two bids, of the rank indicator of the respective bid; and

automatically initiating a re-bid for each lagging bid, the re-bid initiation including comparing each leading bid with a pre-set limit for the bidder corresponding to the lagging response.

Assignments (17)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 20, 2022
From: UNISON MARKETPLACE, INC.
To: ANTARES CAPITAL, L.P., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 061150/0609 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE Recorded Sep 20, 2022
From: CRESCENT AGENCY SERVICES LLC
To: UNISON SOFTWARE, INC.; UNISON MARKETPALCE, INC.; UNISON ACQUISITION OFFICE, LLC
Reel/Frame 061478/0884 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS AT R/F 043471/0143 Recorded Jun 25, 2020
From: TRUIST BANK, AS SUCCESSOR TO SUNTRUST BANK
To: UNISON MARKETPLACE, INC. (F/K/A FEDBID, INC.)
Reel/Frame 053035/0337 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 25, 2020
From: UNISON MARKETPLACE, INC.
To: CRESCENT AGENCY SERVICES LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 053044/0836 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 4, 2019
From: ACAS, LLC (F/K/A AMERICAN CAPITAL, LTD.)
To: UNISON MARKETPLACE, INC. (F/K/A FEDBID, INC.)
Reel/Frame 051174/0972 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 12, 2019
From: FEDBID, INC.
To: UNISON MARKETPLACE, INC.
Reel/Frame 048569/0114 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 11, 2017
From: COLUMBIA PARTNERS, L.L.C. INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
To: FEDBID, INC.
Reel/Frame 043549/0200 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 1, 2017
From: FEDBID, INC.
To: ACAS, LLC
Reel/Frame 043472/0716 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 1, 2017
From: FEDBID, INC.
To: SUNTRUST BANK
Reel/Frame 043471/0143 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 23, 2015
From: FEDBID, INC.
To: COLUMBIA PARTNERS, L.L.C. INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
Reel/Frame 035960/0966 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 5, 2015
From: SQUARE 1 BANK
To: FEDBID, INC.
Reel/Frame 035582/0282 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 17, 2015
From: FEDBID, INC.
To: SQUARE 1 BANK
Reel/Frame 035181/0065 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2014
From: SILICON VALLEY BANK
To: FEDBID, INC.
Reel/Frame 033087/0430 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 30, 2012
From: FEDBID, INC.
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK
Reel/Frame 029058/0512 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 18, 2012
From: SQUARE 1 BANK
To: FEDBID, INC.
Reel/Frame 028575/0136 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 15, 2010
From: FEDBID, INC.
To: SQUARE 1 BANK
Reel/Frame 024233/0934 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 31, 2007
From: LEE, JOHN; NIKZADEH, TOORAJ; TUPPONCE, LUTHER; WALSH, BRENDAN
To: FEDBID, INC.
Reel/Frame 018881/0314 →