Patent ID: 7634439

Claim:
A computer implemented method to transform bids in an electronic auction, comprising: receiving electronically at a server a request from a buyer over a network, the request describing an item that a buyer wishes to buy through straight purchase or monthly lease; presenting the requested item to a plurality of sellers supplying a plurality of items including the requested item, the plurality of sellers being potential seller bidders for bidding the requested item; receiving a first bid having a first value and a first unit of measurement from a first seller bidder over the network, the first seller bidder being one of the plurality of the seller bidders, wherein the first value represents at least a monthly lease payment for leasing the requested item; receiving a second bid having a second value and a second unit of measurement from a second seller bidder different than the first seller bidder over the network, the second seller bidder being one of the plurality of the seller bidders, wherein the second value represents at least a straight purchase price for purchasing the requested item; determining a first transformation function for the first value, wherein the first transformation function is only known to the buyer; determining a first set of non-comparative bid parameters for the first transformation function; determining a second transformation function for the second value, wherein the second transformation function is only known to the buyer; determining a second set of non-comparative parameters for the second transformation function; transforming said first and second values to third and fourth values based on the first transformation function with the first set of non-comparative bid parameters and the second transformation function with the second set of non-comparative bid parameters, respectively, having a standard unit of measurement, wherein third value represents a total payment for leasing the requested item over a predetermined period of time, wherein the fourth value represents a total payment for the straight purchase of the requested item; and presenting the third value and the fourth value to the buyer over the network such that the buyer is able to compare total costs of leasing or purchasing the requested item in order to make a decision on whether the requested item should be purchased or leased.