Online auction system
An online auction system includes a set of memory resources that store auction data and one or more processors. The one or more processors implement multiple auction forums for transacting a corresponding set of assets. The one or more processors enable a registrant to participate in any of the multiple auction forums by providing the registrant with multiple interfaces to prompt the user for input or action. In some embodiments, the one or more processors provide an entity type interface to prompt the registrant to declare an entity type of the registrant. The one or more processors operate to determine a set of requirements for the registrant based at least in part on (i) a type designation provided by the user, and (ii) a geographic region of one or more assets that are being transacted by the multiple auction forums.
1. An online auction system comprising:
a set of memory resources that store auction data;
one or more processors that implement multiple instances of a set of logical components to concurrently and independently provide multiple auction services, each instance of the set of logical components providing one of multiple auction services by performing operations that include:
receiving information from a seller that identifies an asset for auctioning;
standardizing the information provided by the seller;
verifying that the asset can be auctioned based on the information provided by the seller;
storing at least the standardized information as auction data with the set of memory resources;
associating, in the set of memory resources, one of a plurality of auction states with the information stored for the asset, the plurality of auction states including a pre-auction state which identifies the asset prior to being auctioned, an auction in progress state in which an auction for the asset is being conducted, and a post-auction state in which the auction for the asset is complete;
providing information about the asset for viewing and searching for a population of potential bidders when the asset is in the pre-auction state;
implementing the auction for the asset when the asset is in the auction in progress state;
wherein the multiple auction services include a first auction service hosted from a first domain by a first host and a second auction service hosted from a second domain by a second host; and
wherein the one or more processors dynamically adjust an amount of processing resources from the one or more processors for providing one or more of the multiple instances of logical components based on a demand level of one or more of the multiple auction services.
2. The online auction system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors store a first set of standardized auction information received through implementation of a first instance of the set of logical components in a first partition of the memory resources, and a second set of standardized auction information received through implementation of a second instance of the set of logical components in a second partition of the set of memory resources.
3. The online auction system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors generate one or more of the multiple instances in response to a request from a third-party auction host.
4. The online auction system of claim 1 , wherein the demand level includes an activity level of one or more of the multiple auction services.
5. The online auction system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors concurrently and independently provide the multiple auction services by branding each of the multiple auction services for a different auction provider.
6. The online auction system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors concurrently and independently provide the multiple auction services by hosting each of the multiple auction services on a different domain.
7. The online auction system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors concurrently and independently provide multiple auction services by retrieving auction data from the first auction host, and physically and logically positioning the memory resources based on the auction data from the first auction host.
8. The online auction system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors physically partition the set of memory resources so that at least a first portion of the set of memory resources is dedicated for only the first auction service and a second portion of the set of memory resources is dedicated only for the second auction services.
9. The online auction system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors implement the auction for the first auction service under a first set of auction rules, and implement the auction for the second auction service under a second set of auction rules.
10. The online auction system of claim 1 , wherein the asset corresponds to a real property item, and wherein the one or more processors standardize the information by determining a type for the seller.
11. The online auction system of claim 1 , wherein the asset corresponds to a real property item, and wherein the one or more processors standardize the information by standardizing a format of a street address for the real property item.
12. The online auction system of claim 1 , wherein the asset corresponds to a real property item, and wherein the one or more processors verify the information by verifying an address for the real property item.
13. The online auction system of claim 1 , wherein the asset corresponds to a real property item, and wherein the one or more processors verify the information by determining a name of an owner for the real property item from an independent source other than the seller.
14. A method for operating an online auction system, the method being implemented by one or more processors and comprising:
storing auction data;
implementing multiple instances of a set of logical components to concurrently and independently provide multiple auction services;
wherein each set of logical components provides one of multiple auction services by:
receiving information from a seller that identifies an asset for auctioning;
standardizing the information provided by the seller;
verifying that the asset can be auctioned based on the information provided by the seller;
storing at least the standardized information as auction data with the set of memory resources;
associating, in the set of memory resources, one of a plurality of auction states with the information stored for the asset, the plurality of auction states including a pre-auction state which identifies the asset prior to being auctioned, an auction in progress state in which an auction for the asset is being conducted, and a post-auction state in which the auction for the asset is complete;
providing information about the asset for viewing and searching for a population of potential bidders when the asset is in the pre-auction state;
implementing the auction for the asset when the asset is in the auction in progress state;
wherein the multiple auction services include a first auction service hosted from a first domain by a first host and a second auction service hosted from a second domain by a second host; and
wherein the method further includes dynamically adjusting an amount of processing resources from the one or more processors for providing one or more of the multiple instances of logical components based on a demand level of one or more of the multiple auction services.