US2003088507A1PendingUtilityA1

Method and system for providing status updates

63
Priority: Mar 29, 1996Filed: Dec 13, 2002Published: May 8, 2003
Est. expiryMar 29, 2016(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Alan S. FisherSamuel Jerrold Kaplan
G06Q 40/04G06Q 30/02G06Q 30/0601G06Q 30/08
63
PatentIndex Score
0
Cited by
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References
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Claims

Abstract

A method and system for providing status updates includes formatting and sending to a bidder a message relating to a status of an auction item.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method to facilitate an electronic auction, the method comprising: 
 formatting a message relating to a status of a bid, received from a bidder, for an auction item; and    sending the message to the bidder.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the status indicates that the bid for the auction item has been outbid.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the status indicates that the bid for the auction item has won the item in a recently closed auction.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the message is an electronic mail notification message.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 receiving a reply message to the electronic mail message, the reply message including an increased bid amount.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 updating a merchandise catalog page to include the increased bid amount.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the message includes relevant merchandise information.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the message includes current high bid information.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the message includes bid increment information.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the message includes a request for the bidder to submit an increased bid amount to outbid a current high bidder.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further including querying a bid database to determine the status of the bid.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further including querying a bid database to determine a change in the status of the bid.  
     
     
         13 . An electronic auction system comprising: 
 an electronic mail messenger to format and send a message to a bidder, the message relating to a status of a bid received from the bidder for an auction item.    
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the status indicates that the bid has been outbid for the auction item.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the status indicates that the bid has won the auction item in a recently closed auction.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the message is an electronic mail notification message.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 a bid validator to receive an electronic mail bid message in reply to the electronic mail message, the electronic mail bid message including an increased bid amount.    
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 a manager to facilitate updating of a merchandise catalog page; and    a merchandise catalog page generator to generate an updated merchandise catalog page with the increased bid amount.    
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the message includes relevant merchandise information.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the message includes current high bid information.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the message includes bid increment information.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the message includes a request for the bidder to submit an increased bid amount to outbid a current high bidder.  
     
     
         23 . A machine-readable medium having executable instructions to cause one or more machines to perform a method to facilitate an electronic auction, the method comprising: 
 formatting a message relating to a status of a bid, received from a bidder, for an auction item; and    sending the message to the bidder.    
     
     
         24 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 23 , wherein the status indicates that the bidder for the auction item has been outbid.  
     
     
         25 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 23 , wherein the status indicates that the bidder for the auction item has won the auction item in a recently closed auction.  
     
     
         26 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 23 , wherein the message is an electronic mail notification message.  
     
     
         27 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 26 , further comprising: 
 receiving a reply message to the electronic mail message, the reply message including an increased bid amount.    
     
     
         28 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 27 , further comprising: 
 updating a merchandise catalog page to include the increased bid amount.    
     
     
         29 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 23 , wherein the message includes relevant merchandise information.  
     
     
         30 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 23 , wherein the message includes current high bid information.  
     
     
         31 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 23 , wherein the message includes bid increment information.  
     
     
         32 . The machine readable medium of  claim 23 , wherein the message includes a request for the bidder to submit an increased bid amount to outbid a current high bidder.  
     
     
         33 . The machine readable medium of  claim 23 , further including querying a bid database to determine the status of the bid.  
     
     
         34 . The machine readable medium of  claim 23 , further including querying a bid database to determine a change in the status of the bid.  
     
     
         35 . An electronic auction system comprising: 
 messenger means for formatting and sending a message to a bidder, the message relating to a status of a bid, received from the bidder, for an auction item; and    storage means, coupled to the messaging means, for storing the status of the bid, received from the bidder, for the auction item.    
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the status indicates that the bidder for the auction item has been outbid.  
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the status indicates that the bidder for the auction item has won the auction item in a recently closed auction.  
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the message is an electronic mail message.  
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , further comprising: 
 validating means for receiving an electronic mail bid message in reply to the electronic mail message, the electronic mail bid message to include an increased bid amount.    
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 39 , further comprising: 
 manager means for facilitating updating of a merchandise catalog page; and    catalog page generation means for generating an updated merchandise catalog page with the increase bid amount.    
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the message includes relevant merchandise information.  
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the message includes current high bid information.  
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the message includes bid increment information.  
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the message includes a request for the bidder to submit an increased bid amount to outbid a current high bidder.

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