U.S. patent application number 11/151946 was filed with the patent office on 2005-10-20 for countdown on-line auction clock.
Invention is credited to Dorr, Robert C..
Application Number | 20050234812 11/151946 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26874068 |
Filed Date | 2005-10-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050234812 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dorr, Robert C. |
October 20, 2005 |
Countdown on-line auction clock
Abstract
A method is disclosed herein for displaying time lapse for an
on-line auction for an item in a computer. According to the method,
the processor time in the computer is obtained and compared to the
official auction time for the items being auctioned in the on-line
auction which is obtained from the on-line auction service. The
users computer compares the obtained processor time to the obtained
official auction time and correlates the end of time from the
on-line auction service to a processor end of time which
corresponds to the user's time. The computer then displays the time
left correlated to the processor's time preferably in a visual
countdown graphical icon.
Inventors: |
Dorr, Robert C.; (Pueblo,
CO) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DORR CARSON SLOAN & BIRNEY, PC
3010 EAST 6TH AVENUE
DENVER
CO
80206
|
Family ID: |
26874068 |
Appl. No.: |
11/151946 |
Filed: |
June 14, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11151946 |
Jun 14, 2005 |
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09759105 |
Jan 11, 2001 |
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6910019 |
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60178189 |
Jan 26, 2000 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
705/37 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 40/04 20130101;
G06Q 30/08 20130101; G04F 1/005 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/037 |
International
Class: |
G06F 017/60 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A method for displaying time left for an on-line auction of an
item in a computer, said method comprising the steps of: obtaining
the processor time in the computer, obtaining the official auction
time for said on-line auction in the computer, obtaining the
auction time left for said item, comparing in the computer the
obtained processor time to the obtained official auction time,
determining in the computer the processor time left for said item
in said on-line auction based on the processor time in response to
the comparing step and said obtained auction time left. displaying
in the computer the processor time left for said item.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of displaying includes
the step of visually counting down the time left in at least one
graphical icon.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the graphical icon is a clock face
having an indicator moving in a direction towards zero wherein zero
corresponds to the end of said on-line auction.
4. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of displaying includes
providing a plurality of graphical icons, each of said plurality of
graphical icon corresponding to a predetermined time period.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein said plurality of graphical icon
includes a first graphical icon corresponding to a predetermined
time period of 60 minutes.
6. The method of claim 4 wherein said plurality of graphical icon
includes a first graphical icon corresponding to a predetermined
time period of 30 minutes.
7. The method of claim 4 wherein said plurality of graphical icon
includes a first graphical icon corresponding to a predetermined
time period of 10 minutes.
8. The method of claim 4 wherein said plurality of graphical icon
includes a first graphical icon corresponding to a predetermined
time period of 60 seconds.
9. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of: providing
an icon during said on-line auction, clicking on the icon to
activate the displaying of the time left.
10. A method for displaying time left for an on-line auction in a
computer, said method comprising the steps of: obtaining the
processor time in the computer, obtaining the official auction time
for said on-line auction in the computer, setting the processor
time to the obtained official auction time, determining in the
computer the time left for said on-line auction based on the
processor time in response to the comparing step, displaying in the
computer the time left.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of displaying includes
the step of visually counting down the time left in at least one
graphical icon.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the graphical icon is a clock
face having an indicator moving in a direction towards zero wherein
zero corresponds to the end of said on-line auction.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of displaying includes
providing a plurality of graphical icons, each of said plurality of
graphical icon corresponding to a predetermined time period.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein said plurality of graphical icon
includes a first graphical icon corresponding to a predetermined
time period of 60 minutes.
15. The method of claim 13 wherein said plurality of graphical icon
includes a first graphical icon corresponding to a predetermined
time period of 30 minutes.
16. The method of claim 13 wherein said plurality of graphical icon
includes a first graphical icon corresponding to a predetermined
time period of 10 minutes.
17. The method of claim 13 wherein said plurality of graphical icon
includes a first graphical icon corresponding to a predetermined
time period of 60 seconds.
18. The method of claim 10 further including the steps of:
providing an icon during the said on-line auction, clicking on the
icon to activate the displaying of the time left.
19. A method for displaying time left for an on-line auction in a
computer, said method comprising the steps of: obtaining the
processor time in the computer, obtaining the auction time for said
on-line auction in the computer, comparing in the computer the
obtained processor time to the obtained auction time, determining
in the computer the time left for said on-line auction based on the
processor time in response to the comparing step, displaying in the
computer the time left.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 09/759,105 filed Jan. 11, 2001 which
application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent
Application Ser. No. 60/178,189 filed on Jan. 26, 2000 entitled
COUNDOWN ON-LINE AUCTION CLOCK.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to on-line auctioning and,
particularly, to accurately determine the end of the on-line
auction for an item.
[0004] 2. Statement of the Problem
[0005] It is common for on-line auction services to provide an end
time that is typically set by the seller of an item to the auction.
In eBay, Inc., for example, when a particular item is searched
based upon key word, the SEARCH RESULTS web page 100 as shown in
FIG. 1 shows the item by number 110, by description 120, the
current bid price 130, the number of bids 140, and when the auction
ends 150. For example, as an item approaches the end of its
deadline, the end time 150 is set forth in minutes. In eBay, Inc.,
the SEARCH RESULTS 100 show the time in minutes when sixty or less
minutes exist. This end time 150, in the case of eBay, Inc., is
based upon an official time 160 which is a separate screen display
200, shown in FIG. 2, that shows the eBay, Inc. current date and
time for the various time zones 210. A user has to click on 160 to
see FIG. 2.
[0006] On the screen 300, shown in FIG. 3, for the auction of the
item 310, the start time 320 for the auction is set forth and the
end time 330 for the auction for that item is set forth as well as
the TIME LEFT 340.
[0007] Unfortunately, the official time 210 does not usually
correspond to the time on the user's computer. Hence, a need exists
to derive a time left or a countdown time independent of the
official time of the auction service.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention provides a unique and novel countdown
time independent of the auction service and based upon the user's
own computer time.
[0009] A method is disclosed herein for displaying the time left
for an on-line auction for an item in a computer. According to the
method, the processor time in the computer is obtained and compared
to the official auction time for the items being auctioned in the
on-line auction which is obtained from the on-line auction service.
The user's computer compares the obtained processor time to the
obtained official auction time and correlates the end of time from
the on-line auction service to a processor end of time which
corresponds to the user's time. The computer then displays the time
left correlated to the processor's time preferably in a visual
countdown graphical icon.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a prior art SEARCH RESULTS screen, from an on-line
auction service.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a prior art screen showing the official time of
the on-line auction service.
[0012] FIG. 3 is the prior art screen showing the web page for an
item being auctioned on a conventional on-line service.
[0013] FIG. 4 is a flow chart implementing the method of one
embodiment of the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 5 illustrates a countdown icon of the present
invention.
[0015] FIG. 6 shows alternate embodiments of the icon of FIG.
5.
[0016] FIG. 7 shows a bidder time left icon of the present
invention.
[0017] FIG. 8 sets forth the system environment showing the
operation of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] The present invention provides a unique countdown or time
left indicator that ties the on-line auction service official time
to the time of the user's computer. As shown in FIG. 4, the present
invention enters stage 400 which is the conventional stage of
entering the screen 300 for an item being auctioned as shown in
FIG. 3. In stage 410 of the present invention, as soon as the
screen 300 is displayed on a user's computer, the method obtains
the processor time from an internal memory field 420 in the user's
processor, not shown. In stage 430 the obtained processor time is
compared to the time left 340 for the auction. The time left based
upon the processor time (hereinafter referred to as Count Down
time) is now displayed in stage 440.
[0019] This provides the Count Down time based upon a user's
computer for the time left 340. This eliminates any
misunderstanding by a prospective bidder or an actual bidder. In
FIG. 5, the auction screen 300 is shown with the addition of a
special graphic icon 510 that shows, in the preferred embodiment, a
clock face 520 with a indicator 530 moving in the direction of
arrow 540 to the end of the auction 550. Any suitable markings 532
such as minutes, seconds, or combinations thereof can be utilized.
Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6, different graphical icons such as
510a, 510b, 510c, 510d can be utilized at the time countdown
towards zero 550. For example, with 60 minutes left the icon 510a
can be utilized to provide the full 60 minutes. There can be a
30-minute icon 510b, a ten-minute icon 510c, and a one-minute icon
510d. The graphical icon 510 itself can be any suitable graphic
representation with or without accompanying audio effects.
[0020] The present invention makes it readily apparent to the user
without any mental calculations whatsoever as to how much time is
left based upon the processor time of the user.
[0021] In summary, for this to operate effectively, in stage 110,
the processor time is obtained either simultaneously upon entering
the auction screen 300 in stage 100 or shortly thereafter. For
example, the auction service can issue a tone which can be detected
to accurately correlate time. In an alternate embodiment, a
separate icon 700 can be displayed on screen 200 and it then
becomes the option of the prospective bidder to provide a countdown
based upon his or her processor internal time. When stage 110 is
entered and icon 400 is clicked on by the prospective bidder then
at that time the compare between the processor time 120 and the
official auction time 160 occurs in stage 130. Again, icon 400 can
be any suitable icon or graphical image or combination of graphical
image and audio sound. The count down time 440 is then displayed
showing the auction's time left 150 correlated to the user's
computer time.
[0022] It is to be expressly understood that the date/time
properties of an individual's computer for the above discussed
embodiment, the software FIG. 4 can either be offered as an
integrated additional feature of the on-line service or it is
possible to add on software service for an individual user's
computer. The first approach is preferred.
[0023] In yet another embodiment of the present invention, in stage
430 if the user's processor time 420 is different from the official
time of the auction on-line service, the method of the present
invention in stage 430 would set the time of the user's computer to
the official time so as to place the user's computer in sync with
the official time of the on-line auction service.
[0024] In FIG. 8, the operating environment of the present
invention in relation to the on-line auction service is shown. The
on-line auction service 800 is conventionally interconnected with a
communication network 810 over the communication link 820.
Likewise, a bidder's processor 830 is interconnected over a
communication link 840 to the network. It is to be expressly
understood that the communication network 810, the communication
links 820 and 840 can be any of a number of conventional approaches
and that one skilled in the art can readily set up an Internet
business for communication to a stand-alone processor 830 at an
individual's home or office.
[0025] In summary, a method is disclosed herein for displaying time
lapse for an on-line auction for an item in a computer. According
to the method, the processor time in the computer is obtained and
compared to the official auction time for the items being auctioned
in the on-line auction which is obtained from the on-line auction
service. It is immaterial which time is obtained first. The user's
computer compares the obtained processor time to the obtained
official auction time and correlates the end of time for an item
being auctioned in the on-line auction service to a processor end
of time which corresponds to the user's time. The computer then
displays the time left for the item correlated to the processor's
time preferably in a visual countdown graphical icon.
[0026] The above disclosure sets forth a number of embodiments of
the present invention. Those skilled in this art will however
appreciate that other arrangements or embodiments, not precisely
set forth, could be practiced under the teachings of the present
invention and that the scope of this invention should only be
limited by the scope of the following claims.
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