Abstract:
A system for conducting an auction, comprising sending audio/video data recorded at a first location over telephone lines and receiving a reproduction of said audio/video data at a second location, converting said audio/video data at said first location into a stream of packets to be sent over said telephone lines, converting said stream of packets at said second location into said reproduction of said audio/video data to be presented at said second location, and bypassing a telephone company voice switch at a telephone company central office, thereby allowing said stream of packets to pass directly between at least one local telephone line and at least one long distance network.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/901,208 filed Nov. 7, 2013, entitled “System and Method for Transmission of Full Motion Duplex Video in an Auction,” the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference as if set forth herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    This invention relates to a method and system for online interaction between online merchants, auctioneers, and online auction bidders. Particularly, this invention relates to the visual and audible interaction between online merchants, auctioneers, and bidders. Specifically, the invention relates to a method and system for transmission of full motion duplex video between sellers, auctioneers, and multiple bidders to create an enhanced online auction experience known as a “virtual auction room”. 
         [0004]    2. Background of the Invention 
         [0005]    Conventional online auctions allow for the transmission of text, photographs, or previously recorded video between online merchants, auctioneers, and online auction bidders. Merchants often provide a text description of inventory in an attempt to gain the interest of buyers and provide information in regards to the inventory. Merchant&#39;s use of digital media is another method used for presenting inventory; however the existing media is limited to still photographs or previously recorded video, not a live visual interaction between merchants, auctioneers, and online bidders. Though the conventional form of interaction may be sufficient for certain merchants and purchasers, it is not adequate for large scale or high value item purchases. 
         [0006]    The auction industry will, if it chooses, have the ready ability to connect online merchants, auctioneers, and bidders to a “virtual auction room” using compatible computer or mobile devices. Though video conferencing has been around for a number of years, it has not been designed or configured for to enhance the online auction experience or to create a “virtual auction room.” This method of interaction provides merchants and auctioneers the environment needed to interact with potential buyers over the internet via high speed video transfer, provided that each user has one of the devices as outlined below. Through this environment, participants in the online auction industry gain a new more thorough auction experience than previously offered. Prior to the invention of this method, the online auction experience did not allow merchants or an auctioneer to conduct live demonstrations of inventory or visually and audibly interact with the bidders as generally occurs during in person auctions. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    The present invention includes at least a computer-implemented engine, system and method for allowing the one or more products to be viewed remotely by a plurality of bidders in an online facilitated auction. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the disclosed embodiments. In the drawings, like numerals represent like elements, and: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  illustrates an aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  illustrates an aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  illustrates an aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  illustrates an aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  illustrates an aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    Computer-implemented platforms, engines, systems and methods of use are disclosed that provide networked access to a plurality of types of digital content, including but not limited to video, audio, metadata, interactive and document content, and that track, deliver manipulate, transform and report the accessed content. Described embodiments of these platforms, engines, systems and methods are intended to be exemplary and not limiting. As such, it is contemplated that the herein described systems and methods can be adapted to provide many types of cloud-based valuations, scoring, marketplaces, and the like, and can be extended to provide enhancements and/or additions to the exemplary platforms, engines, systems and methods described. The invention is thus intended to include all such extensions. Reference will now be made in detail to various exemplary and illustrative embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  depicts an exemplary computing system  100  for use in accordance with herein described system and methods. Computing system  100  is capable of executing software, such as an operating system (OS) and a variety of computing applications  190 . The operation of exemplary computing system  100  is controlled primarily by computer readable instructions, such as instructions stored in a computer readable storage medium, such as hard disk drive (HDD)  115 , optical disk (not shown) such as a CD or DVD, solid state drive (not shown) such as a USB “thumb drive,” or the like. Such instructions may be executed within central processing unit (CPU)  110  to cause computing system  100  to perform operations. In many known computer servers, workstations, personal computers, and the like, CPU  110  is implemented in an integrated circuit called a processor. 
         [0016]    It is appreciated that, although exemplary computing system  100  is shown to comprise a single CPU  110 , such description is merely illustrative as computing system  100  may comprise a plurality of CPUs  110 . Additionally, computing system  100  may exploit the resources of remote CPUs (not shown), for example, through communications network  170  or some other data communications means. 
         [0017]    In operation, CPU  110  fetches, decodes, and executes instructions from a computer readable storage medium such as HDD  115 . Such instructions can be included in software such as an operating system (OS), executable programs, and the like. Information, such as computer instructions and other computer readable data, is transferred between components of computing system  100  via the system&#39;s main data-transfer path. The main data-transfer path may use a system bus architecture  105 , although other computer architectures (not shown) can be used, such as architectures using serializers and deserializers and crossbar switches to communicate data between devices over serial communication paths. System bus  105  can include data lines for sending data, address lines for sending addresses, and control lines for sending interrupts and for operating the system bus. Some busses provide bus arbitration that regulates access to the bus by extension cards, controllers, and CPU  110 . Devices that attach to the busses and arbitrate access to the bus are called bus masters. Bus master support also allows multiprocessor configurations of the busses to be created by the addition of bus master adapters containing processors and support chips. 
         [0018]    Memory devices coupled to system bus  105  can include random access memory (RAM)  125  and read only memory (ROM)  130 . Such memories include circuitry that allows information to be stored and retrieved. ROMs  130  generally contain stored data that cannot be modified. Data stored in RAM  125  can be read or changed by CPU  110  or other hardware devices. Access to RAM  125  and/or ROM  130  may be controlled by memory controller  120 . Memory controller  120  may provide an address translation function that translates virtual addresses into physical addresses as instructions are executed. Memory controller  120  may also provide a memory protection function that isolates processes within the system and isolates system processes from user processes. Thus, a program running in user mode can normally access only memory mapped by its own process virtual address space; it cannot access memory within another process&#39; virtual address space unless memory sharing between the processes has been set up. 
         [0019]    In addition, computing system  100  may contain peripheral controller  135  responsible for communicating instructions using a peripheral bus from CPU  110  to peripherals, such as printer  140 , keyboard  145 , and mouse  150 . An example of a peripheral bus is the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus. 
         [0020]    Display  160 , which is controlled by display controller  155 , can be used to display visual output and/or presentation generated by or at the request of computing system  100 . Such visual output may include text, graphics, animated graphics, and/or video, for example. Display  160  may be implemented with a CRT-based video display, an LCD-based flat-panel display, gas plasma-based flat-panel display, touch-panel, or the like. Display controller  155  includes electronic components required to generate a video signal that is sent to display  160 . 
         [0021]    Further, computing system  100  may contain network adapter  165  which may be used to couple computing system  100  to an external communication network  170 , which may include or provide access to the Internet. Communications network  170  may provide user access for computing system  100  with means of communicating and transferring software and information electronically. Additionally, communications network  170  may provide for distributed processing, which involves several computers and the sharing of workloads or cooperative efforts in performing a task. It is appreciated that the network connections shown are exemplary and other means of establishing communications links between computing system  100  and remote users may be used. 
         [0022]    It is appreciated that exemplary computing system  100  is merely illustrative of a computing environment in which the herein described systems and methods may operate and does not limit the implementation of the herein described systems and methods in computing environments having differing components and configurations, as the inventive concepts described herein may be implemented in various computing environments using various components and configurations. 
         [0023]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , computing system  100  can be deployed in networked computing environment  200 . In general, the above description for computing system  100  applies to server, client, and peer computers deployed in a networked environment, for example, server  205 , laptop computer  210 , and desktop computer  230 .  FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary illustrative networked computing environment  200 , with a server in communication with client computing and/or communicating devices via a communications network, in which the herein described apparatus and methods may be employed. 
         [0024]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , server  205  may be interconnected via a communications network  240  (which may include any of, or any combination of, a fixed-wire or wireless LAN, WAN, intranet, extranet, peer-to-peer network, virtual private network, the Internet, or other communications network such as POTS, ISDN, VoIP, PSTN, etc.) with a number of client computing/communication devices such as laptop computer  210 , wireless mobile telephone  215 , wired telephone  220 , personal digital assistant  225 , user desktop computer  230 , and/or other communication enabled devices (not shown). Server  205  can comprise dedicated servers operable to process and communicate data such as digital content  250  to and from client devices  210 ,  215 ,  220 ,  225 ,  230 , etc. using any of a number of known protocols, such as hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), file transfer protocol (FTP), simple object access protocol (SOAP), wireless application protocol (WAP), or the like. Additionally, networked computing environment  200  can utilize various data security protocols such as secured socket layer (SSL), pretty good privacy (PGP), virtual private network (VPN) security, or the like. Each client device  210 ,  215 ,  220 ,  225 ,  230 , etc. can be equipped with an operating system operable to support one or more computing and/or communication applications, such as a web browser (not shown), email (not shown), or the like, to interact with server  205 . 
         [0025]    The present invention is a method of enhancing online auctions through the facilitation of a “virtual auction room”. The method for created such an environment is through the use of duplex, full motion, multipoint video conferencing. The “virtual auction room” creates a visually and audible interactive environment between merchants, auctioneers, and online bidders. This interaction allows for a more thorough presentation of auction inventory as well as the capability for an enhanced dialogue between all parties. The enhanced visual and audible interaction between auction participants occurs when video, in the form of data, is transmitted through a software portal to a video conferencing provider which is then redistributed to the appropriate parties during an auction format. Once connected to the “virtual auction room”, bidders have the ability to interact with an auctioneer using full motion duplex video and audio captured by each user&#39;s computer or mobile device. 
         [0026]    Each participant&#39;s audio and video data are captured by the corresponding devices required. Through the use of a software applications, mobile applications or hardware, the audio and video are then transmitted and received by other parties in the manner demonstrated in  FIG. 3 . As illustrated in  FIG. 3  is an illustration of the method and system of this invention showing the flow of video in the form of data between all parties when all users have the devices required for full duplex video and audio interaction. 
         [0027]      FIG. 2  is an illustration of the method and system of this invention showing the flow of video audio data between parties when only one of three bidders have the necessary devices as outlined for full motion duplex video and audio interaction. Bidders 1 and 2 can view the auctioneer&#39;s presentation video and audio, however they cannot transmit audio and video to the auctioneer. Bidder 3 is able to interact through full motion duplex video and audio.  FIG. 3  is an illustration of the method and system of this invention showing the macro scale structure of connections between auction participants, the existing online auction interface, and the video conferencing provide. This illustration demonstrates connection between parties using the previously mentioned interface and structure. 
         [0028]    In its full form this invention an auctioneer has the following capabilities 1) transmit and receive data in the form of video and audio between multiple parties 2) present and demonstrate auction inventory and interacts with bidders using a computer as outlined in section A(1), 3) present auction inventory and interact with bidders provided they have a mobile device outlined in Section A(2). In addition to being able to interact with bidders using full motion duplex video, auctioneers will present auction items without bidders being required to transmit data back to the auctioneer. Full motion, unidirectional video is transmitted from the auctioneer to bidders, provided that bidders have a computer as outlined in section B(1) or a mobile device as outlined in B(2) The transmission of video into the virtual environment occurs in the following steps 1) light enters a camera lens and is captured on a charged coupled device, 3) The charge coupled device transfers the digital image information to a video encoding process where the audio and video data are converted into a standards based package, 4) each package is then electronically transferred to a packeting process, 5) the packet is then transmitted electronically using standards based tcpip/udp transmission methodologies for receipt by the remote system 6) the packet is then de-packetized to break the digital information down into a standards based block of digital information 7) the block of information is broken down into raw data which can then be mapped onto a video display [monitor] for viewing by the recipient 8) in the event of multi-party interaction, the raw data is mapped into a large segment video memory block where it is stitched together with raw data from additional sources to create a multiplexed, multi-source display of all participants. The above is also described in WO2000021258, entitled “High speed video transmission over telephone lines” to M. Maresca, which disclosure is incorporated herein by reference and if set forth herein in its entirety. The full motion video is delivered to each end user providing a fully visual auction experience. 
         [0029]    The merchant determines the desired time for the visual and audible interaction to occur which determines the time the “virtual auction room” is opened for the online merchant, auctioneer. and online bidders. Once the interaction time is registered by the merchant with the videoconferencing provider, the existing online auction system generates a random number which is registered with the videoconferencing provider. The random number is then sent with a website link via email to participants of a given “virtual auction room.” The website link directs users to an online portal which grants participants access to the appropriate “virtual auction room” provided they have received the random number generated by the existing online auction system. 
         [0030]    A(1) Requirements for Participation or Two Way Interaction between an online Auctioneer, Vendor and multiple Bidders using a computer device. 
         [0031]    Users may visually and audibly interact with an auctioneer provided that the computer is equipped with A) an internet connection B) web enabled Camera C) computer enabled microphone D) computer monitor or display E) computer enabled speakers E) said device is currently running Microsoft Windows or Mac OS operating system and F) Basic Video Processing Ability. 
         [0032]    A(2) Requirements for Participation or Two Way Interaction between an online Auctioneer, Vendor and multiple Bidders using a mobile device. 
         [0033]    Users may visually and audibly interact with an auctioneer using a mobile device provided that the mobile device is equipped with A) an internet connection B) web enabled Camera C) a functional microphone D)A functional display E)a functional speakers E) said device is currently running Android of Mac OS operating system and F) Basic Video Processing Ability. 
         [0034]    B(1) Requirements for unidirectional viewing of an online Auctioneer without interaction using a computer device. 
         [0035]    Users are able to view full motion video and audio being provided by the auctioneer provided that the computer is equipped with A) an internet connection B) web enabled Camera C) computer enabled microphone D) computer monitor or display E) computer enabled speakers E) said device is currently running Microsoft Windows or Mac OS operating system and F) Basic Video Processing Ability. 
         [0036]    B(2) Requirements for unidirectional viewing of an online Auctioneer without interaction using a mobile device. 
         [0037]    Users can view full motion video and audio being provided by the auctioneer using a mobile device provided that the mobile device is equipped with A) an internet connection B) web enabled Camera C) a functional microphone D)A functional display E)a functional speakers E) said device is currently running Android of Mac OS operating system and F) Basic Video Processing Ability. 
         [0038]    Those of skill in the art will appreciate that the herein described systems and methods may be subject to various modifications and alternative constructions. There is no intention to limit the scope of the invention to the specific constructions described herein. Rather, the herein described systems and methods are intended to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the scope and spirit of the invention and its equivalents.