Abstract: A networked computer arrangement and method in which a manufacturer or service provider may communicate to a plurality of traders the items, including goods and/or services, which may be available for purchase, the quantities of those available items, and any other conditions to be met for the purchase of the available items. Traders may apply guest bidder profiles or entitlement schema to the available goods lists to produce offerings for a plurality of guest brokers. Only bid-relevant product information is presented to each guest broker as needed in order to protect the offering party's overall position on the offered good(s). Guest broker profiles or entitlement schema may be based on perspective contractual arrangements between potential brokers, traders, and a manufacturer or service provider. Offerings are presented to the guest brokers, who are restricted from participating in the bidding process.

Abstract: A networked computer arrangement and method in which a manufacturer or service provider may communicate to a plurality of traders the items, including goods and/or services, which may be available for purchase, the quantities of those available items, and any other conditions to be met for the purchase of the available items. Traders may apply guest bidder profiles or entitlement schema to the available goods lists to produce offerings for a plurality of guest brokers. Only bid-relevant product information is presented to each guest broker as needed in order to protect the offering party's overall position on the offered good(s). Guest broker profiles or entitlement schema may be based on perspective contractual arrangements between potential brokers, traders, and a manufacturer or service provider. Offerings are presented to the guest brokers, who are restricted from participating in the bidding process.

Abstract: A networked computer arrangement and method in which a manufacturer or service provider may communicate to a plurality of traders the items, including goods and/or services, which may be available for purchase, the quantities of those available items, and any other conditions to be met for the purchase of the available items. Traders may apply guest bidder profiles or entitlement schema to the available goods lists to produce offerings for a plurality of guest brokers. Only bid-relevant product information is presented to each guest broker as needed in order to protect the offering party's overall position on the offered good(s). Guest broker profiles or entitlement schema may be based on perspective contractual arrangements between potential brokers, traders, and a manufacturer or service provider. Offerings are presented to the guest brokers, who are restricted from participating in the bidding process.

Abstract: A computer system for a manufacturer or service provider to communicate goods or services which are available for bidding by bidders that provides collected bids in a bid database, the bids each having an associated seal status indication field queries the bid database for unsealed bids which match parameters of a Broker Profile Matrix associated with a trader console, the trader console comprising an intermediary third party user console communicably disposed between a bidder user console and broker user console, operates to buy products or services from the broker user console and to resell the bought products and services to the bidder user console; responsive to finding matching unsealed bids, delivers the matching unsealed bids to the trader console wherein delivery of delivery of sealed bids to the trader console is prevented; and displays on the trader console the delivered matching unsealed bids to a trader console user.

Abstract: Delay-paced online proxy bidding by providing a counter bid delay value parameter for automatic proxy bidding on behalf of a user in an online auction; automatically checking by an application server a current bid level of the online auction having a plurality of bids from other participants separated in time to form a bidding pace; determining by an application server that any a proxy condition has been met; and placing by an application server computer a counter bid the auction responsive to the proxy conditions being met and a time following or upon the elapse of a counter bid delay from a time of placement of the current bid; wherein the automatic checking, determining and placing counter bids produce a delay paced online proxy bidding according to the counter bid delay value and wherein escalation of the pace of bidding within the auction system is avoided.

Abstract: A networked computer arrangement and method for preparing entitled offerings to prospective brokers, buyers and bidders, by establishing an entitlement schema in an offering and bid collection computer system based on a contractual arrangement between the brokers, traders, and offeror; preparing an entitled offering through filtering the a master list according to the broker schema to include only information for items to which each broker is allowed to purchase: and, subsequently. but prior to receiving any bids, presenting via a user interface the entitled offerings to the prospective brokers such that each broker may review entitled offerings containing information regarding items being offered for sale on which the broker is entitled to bid, but are not allowed to view information regarding items to which each broker is not entitled to purchase.

Abstract: A networked computer arrangement and method in which a manufacturer or service provider may communicate to a plurality of traders the items, including goods and/or services, which may be available for purchase, the quantities of those available items, and any other conditions to be met for the purchase of the available items. Traders may apply guest bidder profiles or entitlement schema to the available goods lists to produce offerings for a plurality of guest brokers. Only bid-relevant product information is presented to each guest broker as needed in order to protect the offering party's overall position on the offered good(s). Guest broker profiles or entitlement schema may be based on perspective contractual arrangements between potential brokers, traders, and a manufacturer or service provider. Offerings are presented to the guest brokers, who are restricted from participating in the bidding process.

Abstract: In an online four-tier offering and bidding process, a first offeror notifies traders of available products or services. Each trader then communicates offerings to resell the offered products or services to brokers associated with each trader. Then, the brokers respond with bids to purchase the offered products or services according to a reseller master agreement (RMA) which entitles each broker to offer to end users a subset of the offered products and services. A guest profile in the process contains entitlement definitions indicating allowable items about which a guest user may receive information but for which is to be restricted from placing bids, also according to the RMA. The process prepares entitled offerings through filtering an available items list according to the profiles so as to include only offered items per the guest's entitlement. These entitled offerings are then presented to one or more guests for review.

Abstract: An electronic auction method and system are disclosed for generating off-increment proxy bids. A minimum increment is specified for bidding on an item. A bid for the item is received from a first bidder which is currently a high bid for the item. A previously recorded proxy bid is received from a second bidder which is greater than the current high bid and not greater than the high bid plus the minimum increment. An off-increment bid is generated which does not increase the bid received from the first bidder by the increment and also does not exceed the proxy bid. The off-increment bid becomes a high bid for the item utilizing the proxy bid. The second bidder thus holds a current high bid for the item.

Abstract: A method and implementing computer system are provided in which a user is enabled to create a virtual history file by selecting a favorites routing sequence (FRS) or preferred sequence of favorite web sites to be visited during a browser session. During a browser session, the user is enabled to change from one site to the next sequential site on the list using only a single point-and-click operation or keystroke combination within the user's browser program. The user is further enabled to selectively modify the FRS to include new individual or groups of sites and/or delete existing individual or groups of sites from the listing, and also to change the particular order of sites to be visited on the FRS. Further, existing individual or groups of virtual history files may also be embedded into other virtual history files.

Abstract: A data processing system and method are disclosed for generating and displaying a local server clock which is synchronized with a server clock using a client clock. The data processing system includes a server computer system, which includes a server clock, and a client computer system, which includes a display and a client clock. Data is requested by the client from the server computer system to be displayed on the client computer system's display. The data is then received in the client computer system. The client computer system determines a current time indicated by the server clock. The client computer system generates a local server clock. Thereafter, the local server clock is updated utilizing the client clock. The local server clock and the data are then displayed together on the client's display.

Abstract: Systems and methods for associating graphical images and events are implemented. These include, respectively, circuitry and steps for providing graphical image information including control information and rendering information in which the control information is for controlling a display of said rendering information. The control information includes an image identifier. An event identifier value is received in response to a client initiated action. The rendering information is displayed in response to said event identifier value matching a value of said image identifier in said control information. An alternative system and method include, respectively, circuitry and steps for receiving a value for an event parameter associated with a graphical image file. In response to receiving an event corresponding to said event parameter, rendering information for a graphical image in said graphical image file corresponding to the value of said event parameter is displayed.

Abstract: A proxy agent for an online or automated auction or offering system which allows automatic proxy bidding within user-specified limits and conditions, including one or more maximum bid limits related to one or more time periods during the open bidding time, a maximum bid limit during a period prior to bidding close time, and a bidding pace control.

Abstract: A networked computer arrangement and method in which a manufacturer or service provider may communicate to a plurality of traders the items, including goods and/or services, which may be available for purchase, the quantities of those available items, and any other conditions to be met for the purchase of the available items. Traders may apply guest bidder profiles or entitlement schema to the available goods lists to produce offerings for a plurality of guest brokers. Only bid-relevant product information is presented to each guest broker as needed in order to protect the offering party's overall position on the offered good(s). Guest broker profiles or entitlement schema may be based on perspective contractual arrangements between potential brokers, traders, and a manufacturer or service provider. Offerings are presented to the guest brokers, who are restricted from participating in the bidding process.

Abstract: A networked computer arrangement through which a manufacturer or service provider may communicate to a bidder or broker information regarding total bid exposure and total commitment to purchase, filtered by type of on-line offer, status of bids, and status of each on-line offer. An on-line bidder may view real-time bidding account information filtered by whether the offer or auction is opened or closed, for all types of auctions or by specific types of auction, and/or by status of bids such as won, beaten, undecided. The invention is particularly well-adapted for use over the Internet, intranets, and extranets, in conjunction with on-line auctions and business-to-business offering systems.

Abstract: A method and implementing computer system are provided in which a user is enabled to create a virtual history file by selecting a favorites routing sequence (FRS) or preferred sequence of favorite web sites to be visited during a browser session. During a browser session, the user is enabled to change from one site to the next sequential site on the list using only a single point-and-click operation or keystroke combination within the user's browser program. The user is further enabled to selectively modify the FRS to include new individual or groups of sites and/or delete existing individual or groups of sites from the listing, and also to change the particular order of sites to be visited on the FRS. Further, existing individual or groups of virtual history files may also be embedded into other virtual history files.

Abstract: A three phase, dynamic catalog generation process for creating, updating, and accessing available item descriptive information catalogs for use in conjunction with online auctions, business-to-business offering systems and retail sales. One or more databases are loaded with current descriptive information about items which may be made available for bidding or purchase, such as item part numbers, descriptions, specifications, photographs or illustrations, prices and quantities. This descriptive information is dynamically linked to a product part number. Second, each time a trader requests current descriptive information about an available part number, the databases containing descriptive information are dynamically synchronized so as to link to the most recently available information, thereby providing the trader with the most current descriptive information automatically.

Abstract: A data processing system and method are disclosed for generating and displaying a local server clock which is synchronized with a server clock using a client clock. The data processing system includes a server computer system, which includes a server clock, and a client computer system, which includes a display and a client clock. Data is requested by the client from the server computer system to be displayed on the client computer system's display. The data is then received in the client computer system. The client computer system determines a current time indicated by the server clock. The client computer system generates a local server clock. Thereafter, the local server clock is updated utilizing the client clock. The local server clock and the data are then displayed together on the client's display.

Abstract: An electronic auction method and system are disclosed for generating off-increment proxy bids. A minimum increment is specified for bidding on an item. A bid for the item is received from a first bidder which is currently a high bid for the item. A previously recorded proxy bid is received from a second bidder which is greater than the current high bid and not greater than the high bid plus the minimum increment. An off-increment bid is generated which does not increase the bid received from the first bidder by the increment and also does not exceed the proxy bid. The off-increment bid becomes a high bid for the item utilizing the proxy bid. The second bidder thus holds a current high bid for the item.

Abstract: An electronic auction method and system are disclosed for permitting simultaneous submission of bids on multiple different items from a single screen image. Multiple different items which are offered for auction are simultaneously displayed on the single screen image. Each of these items may be offered for auction simultaneously using different auction types. Entry of bids is permitted for some or all of these items using the single screen image. The entered bids are then simultaneously submitted from the single screen image. A single confirmation screen image is then displayed which includes simultaneous confirmation of each submitted bid. A single result screen image is also displayed to indicate the results of the submitted bids.