Abstract:
An improved auto auction layout places all active auctions within sight of a centralized location. Three or more auctioneer stations placed near the perimeter of the centralized location each correspond to an auto auction lane. Even as lanes independently advance through cars at varying rates, the improved layouts enables bidders and consigners to monitor both the lane with which they are actively engaged and all other lanes, or to participate in multiple simultaneous auctions.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention generally relates to automobile auctions and, more particularly, is related to a facility designed for conducting automobile auctions in a more economically efficient manner. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Auto auctions have been taking place for at least seventy-five years. During that time, technological advances have improved the efficiency and operability of the auto auction. But comparatively little has changed with respect to the layout of the auction arena itself. As auctions have grown, their venues have grown accordingly without otherwise introducing significant changes to their layout. The largest auto auction arena in the U.S. is located in Manheim, Pa.; it has 33 lanes spread out over a length of more than 600 feet. 
         [0003]      FIG. 1  illustrates a plan view of a typical prior art auto auction arena. As shown, the typical prior art auto action arena  10  is housed in a walled building  12 . Within the walled building  12  is a plurality of auto lanes  14 . The auto lanes  14  run parallel to each other and each lane runs straight through the walled building  12  through openings  16  (i.e., doors) in the walls. 
         [0004]    Auction bidders stand in bidder areas  16  between the lanes  14 . As shown, the bidder areas  16  are bounded on opposite sides by auto lanes  14  and on the adjacent sides by the building walls  12 . On one end of the bidding area  16  are auctioneer stands  22 . One auctioneer is assigned for each auto lane  14 . 
         [0005]    In operation, cars  400  to be auctioned enter the building and drive down the auto lanes  14  toward the auctioneer stands  22 . When the cars get to the auctioneer stand  22 , the auctioneer that lanes auctions off the car, after which the car is driven out of the building so the next car in line can move up and be auctioned. All lanes conduct auctions at the same time. 
         [0006]    The traditional prior art floorplan as just described presents problems to bidders on the floor. The arenas must move cars in, conduct bids, sell the cars, then bring in the next car as quickly as possible to minimize operating expenses and maximize profit, often leaving bidders no time to move between an auction in one lane and another auction in another lane. Each lane advances from one car to the next as quickly as each auction is completed, and any given lane may advance faster or slower than the other lanes. Bidders who choose to stay and bid on a car in one lane lose the ability to bid on other cars in other lanes. This disadvantage is particularly acute for solo bidders, who cannot know how many auctions have been completed in other lanes. These bidders must decide on the spot whether to stay with a particular auction or to abandon it for a more favorable one in a distant lane; sometimes, bidders abandon one auction in hopes of bidding on a more desired car in another lane, only to discover it has already been sold. 
         [0007]    The traditional layout also creates problems for the consigners who are trying to sell cars through the arena. Certain lanes are seen as more desirable than others because of their relative distance from the main entry doors. Moreover, consigners prefer to represent their cars on-site because they have a better chance of making a sale. Consigners who can interact with the bidders often get a better price. Conversely, consigners on site may choose to authorize a lower price floor for one of their cars due to lack of bids, rather than letting the car go unsold. Bidders are also more interested in groups of cars which are represented by the consigners. When a consigner&#39;s cars are spread out over multiple lanes, consigners lose the ability to represent all of their cars and consequently lose money. They may choose to focus their efforts on the more favorable lanes close to the arena exit to the detriment of their other auctions. 
         [0008]    The arena itself loses potential profits when bidders and consigners face these problems. Because the house takes a share of the proceeds from every successful auction, it is in the house&#39;s best interests to ensure that every potential bidder is involved in as many auctions as they are willing to participate in. However, arenas are constrained by time available to run the auctions. Idle time on the lanes costs the arenas money in operating costs; this is one reason that auctions tend to progress as fast as the house can make them progress. While time and operating expenses will always be a constraint, the traditional auto auction arena floorplan exacerbates these constraints to the detriment of bidders, consigners, and auction houses. Therefore, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0009]    For the purposes of this specification, the words “car”, “automobile”, or “auto” include any type of automobile, including cars, trucks, motorcycles, and other wheeled vehicles whether driven either by internal combustion engines, hybrid engines, electric motors, or other means. 
         [0010]    The present invention provides a structure suitable for conducting automobile auctions in the form of an improved auto auction arena. The layout of the features in this improved auto auction arena consolidates operational space into a central bidders&#39; area, eschewing the practice of spreading out the arena over a wide area in favor of bringing each car to an outer edge of the central bidders&#39; area. This structure places bidders, consigners, auctioneers, and all cars up for auction within sight of one another, easing their interaction to facilitate higher profits and greater access to desired cars. Bidders and consigners may move freely from one auction to the next, while the arena&#39;s structure aids each participant&#39;s strategic participation in the auctions. 
         [0011]    During an auction, the layout enables the auction house managers to bring each car to the central bidders&#39; area in turn, preferably by driving the cars single-file along one of the approaching one-way lanes up to the edge of the central bidding area. The lane leads from outside of the auction arena up to the perimeter of the central area, then away again. Cars move along a given lane until the one currently up for auction is in front of its corresponding auctioneer station, where it remains until auction is complete and the auctioneer is prepared for the next car. At that time, the car would continue along the one-way lane away from the arena and to its lot until it could be picked up. These lanes may be built to intersect the perimeter of the central bidders&#39; area and cross through the central bidders&#39; area itself before intersecting the perimeter again and exiting the arena, intersect the perimeter of the central bidders&#39; area and run collinear to said perimeter for a time before splitting away, or curve tangentially to the central bidders&#39; area and intersect its perimeter at a single point before immediately curving away. 
         [0012]    Embodiments of the present invention enable increased participation in auto auctions by enabling bidders and consigners to monitor multiple auction lanes from the same location, effectively removing barriers to economic action and increasing corresponding economic efficiency. In turn, increased economic efficiency in the auctions increases arena profits by ensuring that every car can be seen by all of its highest potential bidders. Embodiments narrow the competitive advantage of large groups of bidders over independent solo bidders; the solo bidders are able to see all current auctions in progress and choose the one that is best for them rather than guessing whether a distant auction is better than the one the sole bidder is currently closest to. The features of the present layout thus make auto auctions more attractive to sole bidders, potentially attracting more sole bidders to each lane. 
         [0013]    Further embodiments of the present invention utilize multiple arenas in close proximity to one another. These embodiments allow auction houses to sort lanes by category, whether that category is price, manufacturer, or any other criteria. Arenas beyond the first may be constructed of the same size and with the same number of auctioneer stations as the first arena, or of a different size and with a greater or lesser number of auctioneer stations depending on the available space and the needs of the auction house. 
         [0014]    The features, functions, and advantages may be achieved independently in various embodiments of the disclosure or may be combined in yet other embodiments. It is intended that all such additional features, functions, and advantages be included with this description, be within the scope of the present invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    Embodiments of the disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  illustrates a plan view of a typical auction arena in the prior art. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  illustrates a plan view of the improved auto auction arena in its hex arena preferred embodiment. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  illustrates a plan view of the improved auto auction arena in its square arena alternate embodiment. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  illustrates an alternate embodiment comprising three hex arenas placed adjacent to one another. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]      FIG. 2  illustrates a plan view of the preferred embodiment of the improved auto auction arena. In the preferred embodiment, the improved auto auction arena is configured as a hex arena  20 . Before the auction, bidders enter a central bidders&#39; area  100 . While the central bidders&#39; area is named for the bidders, in actual operation the central bidders&#39; area will also host consigners and auction house personnel as well as any other people useful to the auction house&#39;s operation. 
         [0021]    At least three auctioneer stations  201 - 206  are preferably positioned on elevated platforms outside the central area  100 , facing inward. The at least three auctioneer stations  201 - 206  define a perimeter around the central bidders&#39; area  100 . In the preferred embodiment, the perimeter will be embodied with a physical indicator such as a wall, a rope, or a line of paint, but this physical indicator is for convenience only and not necessary to the construction or operation of the improved auto auction arena. 
         [0022]    Single-lane paths  301 - 306  are preferably positioned in the central bidders&#39; area  100  inward of the auctioneer stations  201 - 206 . In the hex arena  20 , three approaching two-lane paths  310  enter the arena and fork into one-lane paths  301 - 306 . Said one-lane paths  301 - 306  curve through the central bidders&#39; area  100  inward from the auctioneer stations  201 - 206 , then merge into departing two-lane paths  320  which exit the hex arena  20 . In this embodiment, the approaching two-lane paths  310  and departing two-lane paths  320  alternate with one another; however, the choice of which set of three paths will serve as departing two-lane paths  320  or approaching two-lane paths  310  is an arbitrary decision. 
         [0023]    During the auction, one or more cars  400  approach the hex arena  20  single-file by moving along one of the approaching two-lane paths  310 . The car  400  is driven along its lane in the two-lane path  310  until said lane forks into a single-lane path  301 - 306 . When the car  400  reaches the designated space corresponding to the appropriate auctioneer station  201 - 206 , the car  400  is brought to rest until all bids are complete and the car  400  is sold. After the auction is complete, the car  400  continues along its single-lane path  301 - 306 , merges onto the appropriate lane of the departing two-lane path  320 , and departs the hex arena  20  for its final destination. 
         [0024]    The central bidders&#39; area  100  is configured such that bidders, consigners, and others within said central bidders&#39; area  100  can see every car  400  up for auction. In this configuration, bidders can choose which auctioneer station  201 - 206  to stay closest to, and even interact with multiple auctioneer stations  201 - 206 . In this embodiment, the single lane paths  301 - 306  and two-lane paths  310  intersect the perimeter of the central bidders&#39; area  100 , curve around the auctioneer stations  201 - 206 , and then cross the perimeter of the central bidders&#39; area  100  once again before exiting the hex arena  20 . 
         [0025]    Preferably, the hex arena  20  is enclosed within a walled structure. This keeps out the rain, allows the auction to use air conditioning, and otherwise makes the hex arena  20  a more hospitable environment. Two-lane paths  310  then preferably and exit the structure through doors large enough to permit two cars  400  to pass at a time. As the auction progresses, cars  400  will enter and exit the hex arena  20  along the appropriate two-lane paths  310 , follow the appropriate single lane paths  301 - 306  to the vicinity of the auctioneer stations  201 - 206 , then follow the appropriate single lane paths  301 - 306  to the next two-lane path  310  and exit the hex arena  20 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 3  illustrates a plan view of an alternate embodiment of the improved auto auction arena. This alternative embodiment of the present invention is the square arena  30 . A central bidders&#39; area  100  in this embodiment is a rectangular shape, preferably a square, comprising borders collinear with single-lane paths  301 - 304 . Each single-lane path  301 - 304  runs in close proximity to a corresponding auctioneer station  201 - 204 . Said auctioneer stations  201 - 204  are preferably placed outside of the central bidders&#39; area  100  on elevated platforms facing inward. This embodiment does away with two-lane paths altogether, exclusively using single-lane paths  301 - 304  or other paths with only a single lane. After departing the immediate vicinity of the square arena  30 , the single-lane paths  301 - 304  preferably merge onto a departing path  220  which exits the vicinity of the square arena  30 . As in the hex arena  20  embodiment, bidders congregate in the central bidders&#39; area  100  where they can see every car  400  up for auction and interact with every auctioneer platform  201 - 204 . 
         [0027]    Like the hex arena  20  embodiment, the square arena  30  is configured to enable bidders and consigners to monitor the progress of multiple auctions simultaneously, or even to participate in multiple auctions. In this embodiment, the single-lane paths  301 - 304  preferably intersect with the perimeter of the central bidders&#39; area  100  at one of its corners, run collinear to the perimeter to the next corner, and then exit the square arena  30 . 
         [0028]    Further alternative embodiments may use more or fewer paths than those described, but never less than three. It is preferred but not required that the paths completely enclose the central area  100  in order to maximize the efficient use of space. Alternate embodiments may forgo maximal efficiency for economic, aesthetic, or other reasons and leave part of the central bidder&#39;s area unenclosed by car paths. Further alternate embodiments may choose to place the arenas outdoors rather than indoors either due to a favorable climate or for economic reasons. 
         [0029]    Yet further alternative embodiments expand total auction capacity by expanding the auction house area to comprise multiple arenas. One such embodiment features three hex arenas  20  in a three-point multi-arena configuration  40 . In this embodiment, the three arenas further comprise external paths  501 - 503  leading to an intersection  500 , the intersection  500  further comprising an exit path  504  leading away from the hex arenas  20 ; the three hex arenas  20  and the exit path  504  are configured perpendicular to each other at this intersection. Each hex arena  20  comprises the features previously described herein. This multi-arena configuration  40  enables the arena operators to sort cars  400  up for auction according to chosen criteria such as manufacturer or price floor. In this multi-arena configuration  40 , the auto lanes preferably do not fully enclose each hex arena  20 ; instead, one portion of a side comprises an external path  501 - 503  leading to the intersection. 
         [0030]    While embodiments of the disclosure have been described in terms of various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced with modifications within the spirit and scope of the claims.