Method and system for disguised price bidding in online auctions

Abstract

A method and system for conducting electronic online auctions having disguised bidding is disclosed. Submitted bids are ordered on a basis of a comparative bid parameter used by an originator of an auction. The ordinal rank of a bid is reported to the bidder.

1 - 34 . (canceled) 
   
   
       35 . A computer program product for processing bidding information in an electronic auction, the computer program product being embodied in a computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for:
 (a) receiving a plurality of bids from bidders;   (b) ranking said bids in order of attractiveness; and   (c) for each bid, displaying the rank determined in (b) to the bidder who made the bid.   
   
   
       36 . The computer program product of  claim 35 , wherein the ranking in (b) determines an ordinal rank for each bid that is displayed to the bidder in (c). 
   
   
       37 . The computer program product of  claim 35 , wherein (b) comprises ranking bids in accordance with the price of the bids. 
   
   
       38 . The computer program product of  claim 35  further comprising computer instructions for transforming a bidder comparative bid parameter into a comparative bid parameter for the originator of the auction. 
   
   
       39 . The computer program product of  claim 35 , wherein (a) comprises receiving transformed bid information. 
   
   
       40 . The computer program product of  claim 39 , wherein (a) comprises receiving a bid price in a base currency, wherein said bid price is originally defined in a local currency of said first bidder. 
   
   
       41 . The computer program product of  claim 35 , further comprising computer instructions for transmitting the rank to the bidder. 
   
   
       42 . The computer program product of  claim 35 , further comprising computer instructions for (b) and (c) as new bids are received. 
   
   
       43 . The computer program product of  claim 35 , wherein (c) comprises displaying a tie rank to the bidder if the ranking in (b) results in a tie. 
   
   
       44 . A system for processing bidding information in an electronic auction, including:
 a processor configured to:
 (a) receive a plurality of bids from bidders; 
 (b) rank said bids in order of attractiveness; and 
 (c) for each bid, displaying the rank determined in (b) to the bidder who made the bid; and 
   a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.   
   
   
       45 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the ranking in (b) determines an ordinal rank for each bid that is displayed to the bidder in (c). 
   
   
       46 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein (b) comprises ranking bids in accordance with the price of the bids. 
   
   
       47 . The system of  claim 44  wherein the processor is further configured to transform a bidder comparative bid parameter into a comparative bid parameter for the originator of the auction. 
   
   
       48 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein (a) comprises receiving transformed bid information. 
   
   
       49 . The system of  claim 48 , wherein (a) comprises receiving a bid price in a base currency, wherein said bid price is originally defined in a local currency of said first bidder. 
   
   
       50 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the processor is further configured to transmit the rank to the bidder. 
   
   
       51 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein the processor is further configured to (b) and (c) as new bids are received. 
   
   
       52 . The system of  claim 44 , wherein (c) comprises displaying a tie rank to the bidder if the ranking in (b) results in a tie.