Auto salvage bid.com vehicle auctioning system
An online automobile auction, which allows the consumer to participate by using their home computers and accessing the system via an internet connection. Before the designated time for an auction, the consumer may access the database of available automobiles. Along with displaying visual depictions of the vehicles, the computer system affords the consumer the ability to access statistics on the current inventory of vehicles. Prior to the auction, using an automated auction feature, a plurality of bidders input their minimum starting bid, the maximum bid and the incrementing value. Bidders are also allowed to bid on vehicles during the auction process.
This application is a continuation of and claims the benefit of pending U.S. application Ser. No. 10/722,662 filed on Nov. 26, 2003, which is a continuation-in-part of and claims the benefit of prior U.S. application Ser. No. 09/649,876 filed on Aug. 28, 2000, now abandoned.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to vehicle auctions and specifically to vehicle auctions augmented by the use of computer systems and networks.
2. Description of the Related Art
The present invention relates generally to the auctioning of items via electronic media. More specifically, the invention relates to the auctioning of automobiles between people or business entities accessing the auction system via personal computers or network based terminals.
Due to the success of auctions, some in the motor vehicle industry have attempted to bring the idea of the automobile auction into the realm of modern technology by utilizing the internet and personal computers to establish on-line auctioning systems In order to shorten the auction process, prior art online auction systems set time limits on the actual auction. In these prior art auction processes, the time limits are established before the auction begins and the bidder is often hurried and thus may not receive the full advantage of the auction process.
Also, in many prior art auction systems, vehicles are posted for a two, three or even a four week time period. This extended posting and bidding process forces the bidder to check back with the auction site day after day to find out whether they have been outbid.
What is needed is a system that will allow the user a reasonable amount of time to decide on whether or not to bid and yet control the overall length of time for which an action may exist. Another attribute needed in the online auction system hinges around allowing users or especially automobile dealers to actively place their vehicles into the auction process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention allows a person with access to a computer to participate in an active automobile auction. The system employs internet connections, along with servers and databases, in order to allow the user the choice of either participating directly in the auction, as it occurs, or submitting a maximum and a starting bid preceding the auction and allowing the system to notify the user of the results.
In comparison with the prior art systems, the present invention realizes innovations in the auction process such as establishing an auction timer, which is designed to reset once a bid higher in value than the highest bid on record is placed. This timer thus regulates the overall amount of time an auction will last, while allowing a user a reasonable amount of time to best a prior bid. Using the auction schedule feature, in combination with the timer system, a user can place bids prior to the auction and also become involved in the active auction process. Thus by utilizing the present invention, a busy professional user may also attend the auction at a designated time and bid quickly. This leaves the user the flexibility and the time to bid on other vehicles being auctioned simultaneously.
Another innovation of the present invention simulates the actual process of choosing a vehicle from an automobile sales lot by establishing the “Walk the Line” function.
In addition to those innovations, the present invention allows users to enter their vehicle into the sales or auctioning realm through an interactive menu called “Selling Your Vehicle.”
Finally, the present invention also allows the user the chance to see and hear the vehicle perform upon engine start up.
As described above,
In order to actively purchase or bid upon a vehicle, the user must have access to the Database Server 8. This server, like all servers in the system, acquires scrutiny from unwanted access through a plurality of protection mechanisms called Firewalls. Database Server 8 is protected by a Firewall 7 and access in to the Database Server 8 cannot be gained without providing certain information, prompted for when a user attempts to register as a user for the first time. In much the same manner, the Sell Your Vehicle Mail Server 13, and the Input Computer 10 are protected by Firewall 12 and Firewall 11 respectively. These firewalls prevent the user from damaging or un rightfully accessing the information retained on these servers.
The Sell Your Vehicle Mail Server 13 allows registered, as well as unregistered users, to input information regarding a vehicle they would like to put up for sale or auction. The vehicle information is then routed to the Input Computer 10 to be applied to the Database Server 8 to be utilized for future sales and auctions.
The Database Server Firewall 7 also protects the Input Computer 10 and the Bank System 9 from unauthorized access. The Bank System 9 allows the user to make payment on-line with a credit card or bank card.
Once attached to the Web Server 3, a registered user can access the full complement of screens and sell, purchase, or partake in an active auctioning process upon a vehicle. Once a user selects a vehicle to purchase or presents the winning bid in an auction, the user receives an e-mail from the Mail Server 14. The user will then be informed that his purchase has been approved through the Bank System 9.
The Welcome button 15 relays the user to the Welcome page, (
Selecting the Sales List button 17 leads the user to the first of the Sales List screens (
Depressing the Search and Bid button 18 will lead the user to a screen which walks the user through a series of steps (
The next available button, the Walk the Line button 19, leads the user to the Walk the Line screen, which gives the user a side by side visual display of the cars available at each auction (
By accessing the Auction Schedule button 21 the user is led to a series of calendar based screens, each of which displays a certain month and the auctions occurring on each specific day of that month (
The final button listed among the eight main options is the Auction Watch button 22, which relays the user to the Auction Watch screen (
Along the side of the main menu screen are positioned three more buttons, (23-25), The Register As A Bidder button 23, once accessed, leads to a Bidder Registration form (
Located directly below the Register As a Bidder button 23 is the Auto Salvage News button 24. Accessing this portion of the system brings the user to a regularly updated news letter which reports on the happenings within the Auto Salvage system. Located directly below this button is the Chat Room button 25. This button leads the user into an environment where free discussion regarding the site, the vehicles, and other such topics may occur.
Moving to the very top of the main menu, the user may access the Member Log On button 26. This button allows registered users to access their account and begin bidding quickly by leading the user through a series of short menus (
Occupying a major portion of the Main Menu screen (
Located in the lower left hand corner of the main menu screen (
As stated above, the Sell Your Vehicle button 16 on the Main Menu (
The user is next guided to Step 2, Vehicle Information 39. In this step, boxes are provided for the user to enter specific information regarding the vehicle he wishes to put into the sale or auction process. After filling in the vehicle information, the user is led to Step 3, Submit Your Request 40. From here, the user need only press the SUBMIT button 41, and the vehicle is entered into the process. The submission triggers a response that will inform the user of the submission and output the message “Your request has been submitted. A representative will call you shortly to schedule an appointment.”
Selecting the Sales List button 17 from the Main Menu (
The Second Sales List screen (
Several sets of vehicles available at different time increments may be viewed from the Second Sales List screen (
When the user chooses an individual picture from the photograph gallery 45, the picture becomes enlarged and gives the user a clearer visual of the vehicle. The boxes contained in the photograph gallery 45 contain electronic images of the vehicle, showcasing the vehicle engine, a panoramic view of the vehicle exterior, the vehicle interior, and a fifteen second video taped image and audio of the engine upon starting the vehicle. The Purchase Vehicle button 47 is located below the information box. Selecting this button leads the user to the Fourth Sales List screen, (
The Fourth Sales List screen displays the vehicle price 48 and allows the user to confirm the purchase 49. The Third and Fourth Sales List screens also serve the Search and Bid function 18 and the Walk the Line function 19. Thus, this screen becomes the default screen for all bidding evolutions.
The First Search and Bid screen, arrived at by pressing the Search and Bid button 18 on the Main Menu (
In the uppermost section of this screen, STEP 2 53 will be displayed. STEP 2 53 prompts the user to choose a model of vehicle and provides an alphabetically arranged scrolling vehicle list 54 and the make box which reflects the make already chosen in STEP 1 51.
Next on the screen is STEP 3 55, which prompts the user to choose a starting and ending date year for the desired vehicle from the scrolling year BEGIN box 56 and END box 57 respectively.
Once this selection is complete, the user moves on to STEP 4 58 which asks for the user's zip code in the ZIP CODE box 59. The system uses this information to calculate the distance from the user to the available vehicle or lot of vehicles. Once the user has completed the steps on this screen, the user can depress the GO button 60, which routes to user to the Third Search and Bid screen (
The Third Search and Bid screen (
In the lower most portion of the Third Search and Bid screen (
Once the user selects a lot number from the search results screen, the next the user will routed to is the Detailed Information/Photographs page. Depending on whether the vehicle is listed under a fixed price, (“P”) or Auction, (“A”), the category, a purchase vehicle (
In
If the user chooses, he may still actively participate in the auction using the Confirm Bid screen (
Directly below the Walk the Line box 76 is the first display date and time box 77. This box informs the user of the date and time when the corresponding vehicles in this display will go on auction. Below this box are vehicle display boxes 78 for the individual vehicles to be auctioned at the corresponding date and time above. Each box includes the year, make and model of the vehicle along with a digital photograph of the vehicle. Once the total vehicles for a certain date and time have been displayed, the next date and time of vehicle auction is listed along with the corresponding vehicle display boxes. This function gives the user the feel of browsing a vehicle auction, while allowing the user to decide upon which vehicles he may bid. The user can access a large number of vehicles in this manner as all the auctions for an arbitrary period of time may be listed on ensuing pages and the user may access these pages using the scrolling mechanism 79 on the right hand side of the page.
The Auction Schedule screen is shown in
In the midsection of the Auction Schedule screen is the calendar 84 for the month listed above. The calendar is divided into day blocks 85, on each day block, the states 86 holding auctions on that day are listed.
The First Auction Watch screen is shown in
The uppermost part of the screen displays a vehicle information box 94, which contains the lot number, year, make, and model of the vehicle to be auctioned, along with the retail value, auction date and time, and location of the vehicle. Directly below the vehicle information box is located a Start Time box 95 and Timer box 96. The Start Time box 95 allows a user to recognize at what time the auction actually starts, in case there is a fluctuation from the scheduled start time. The Timer box 96 notifies the user of the amount of time left for bidding before the existing highest bid is named a winner. Located to the right of the Start Time box 95 and Timer box 96 is the Top Ten bids list 97. This table is illustrated in
The auction timer controls the amount of time allotted for said auction process. A readout of the timer is displayed on said user interface terminals. The auction timer automatically resets upon entry of a bid higher than the previous highest bid.
The auction timer can be set for any time interval. The timer may be used for a four minute time interval, but the preferred usage encompasses a two minute time interval, starting at two minutes and counting down to zero. Upon expiration of said auction timer, the highest value entered in the auction process wins the auction and the system user corresponding to this bid value is notified by way of an e-mail transmission.
The Bidder Registration Form is shown in
The final box, located in the lowermost portion of the form is the Business Certification Box 101. When completed, this box serves to explain to the user, the terms of purchasing vehicles through this system. Once completed this box, along with the rest of the form, creates a contract between Auto Salvage and the user.
The Member Log On button 26 is located on the upper right hand corner of the MAIN MENU screen (FIG0.18). When a user depresses the Member Log On button 26, the user is guided to the First Member Log On screen (
The Simultaneous Bidding screen (
The Your Selling History Button 106 leads the user to the Your Selling History screen (
When the user depresses the YOUR BUYING HISTORY button 107 on the Member Log On screen (
When the user depresses the Auction History Sales List button 108 on the Member Log On screen (
As another option from the Second Sales List (
Claims
1. An interactive vehicle auction and sale system comprising:
- a plurality of computers;
- a computer network enabling communication between said plurality of computers;
- a plurality of user interface terminals in connection with said computer network, said terminals utilized to display an amount of auction and sales information and to input a series of auction bids;
- a plurality of databases and corresponding database servers for storage of an amount of vehicle statistics;
- an input computer in communication with said network to receive and to route said amount of auction and sales information to a plurality of database servers;
- a web server in communication with said plurality of user interface terminals and said plurality of database servers, through said network, said web server utilized to control said vehicle auction and sale system, coordinate said series of auction bids and maintain communications between said plurality of user interface terminals and a plurality of servers;
- an applications server in communication with said network and said user interface terminals; said applications server containing a system software program for operating said interactive vehicle auction and sale system;
- a vehicle image and video server in communication with said network and said user interface terminals, containing a plurality of electronic vehicle images and a plurality of vehicle video media to be accessed by said user terminals;
- a template server in communication with said network and said user interface terminals, containing a plurality of templates to be accessed by said user interface terminals in conjunction with said system software program, an amount of data from said template server utilized as a plurality of interactive computer screens;
- a plurality of mail servers in communication with said network, said plurality of mail servers utilized to receive an amount of auction and sales information from said users; said mail servers also utilized to respond to said users;
- a plurality of protection mechanisms contained within said network to protect said database servers from unwanted access;
- a bank system connection in communication with said network to enable verification of a credit line of a vehicle purchaser; and
- an auction timer, wherein said auction timer controls an amount of time allotted for said interactive vehicle auction and a readout of said timer is displayed on said user interface terminals, wherein said auction timer is programmed for a predetermined amount of time such that when the auction process begins, the timer begins to decrease in time from the predetermined time, and wherein upon submission of a higher bid than the previous bid on record by an individual participating in the auction, the auction timer resets to the original predetermined amount of time.
2. The interactive vehicle auction and sale system of claim 1 wherein, said auction timer automatically resets upon entry of a bid value higher then a currently pending highest bid value.
3. The interactive vehicle auction and sale system of claim 2 wherein, upon expiration of said auction timer, system user corresponding to said highest bid value entered in said interactive vehicle auction wins said interactive vehicle auction.
4. The interactive vehicle auction and sale system of claim 3 wherein, upon expiration of said auction timer, an electronic mail transmission is sent to said system user corresponding to said highest bid value.
5. The interactive vehicle auction and sale system of claim 4 wherein, said auction timer commences a count down process from a value of four minutes.
6. The interactive vehicle auction and sale system of claim 5 wherein, said auction timer commences said count down process from a value of two minutes.
7. The interactive vehicle auction and sale system of claim 6 wherein, said auction timer commences said count down process from a value of one minute.
Type: Application
Filed: May 27, 2009
Publication Date: Sep 24, 2009
Inventor: Keith Goclowski (Sharon, MA)
Application Number: 12/454,857
International Classification: G06Q 30/00 (20060101); G06Q 50/00 (20060101);