Patent ID: 7062460

Claim:
A networked computer system for auctioning products on-line, comprising: a seller interface to perform an auction set up process including obtaining from a seller information comprising a number of units of products to be auctioned, and price varying information that defines at least a price-quantity curve for the products; a buyer interface to accept one or more requested quantities from one or more buyer systems coupled to the system; and a mechanism coupled to the seller interface and to the buyer interface and configured to determine, based on at least the price-quantity curve and the requested quantities, one or more minimum bid amounts for the requested quantities; wherein the mechanism is configured to compare a requested quantity to a current high bid quantity and to quote a minimum bid amount needed to win the requested quantity, wherein the quoted minimum bid amount has a lower per unit price than the per unit price of the current high bid quantity when the requested quantity is larger than the current high bid quantity and when a sum of the requested quantity and the current high bid quantity exceeds the number of units of products.