A method of conducting a reverse auction for an audience of subscriber users, the subscriber users each having a user device
adapted for communication with and control by a remote auction server
adapted to host the reverse auction, the method comprising :
storing,
on the server, a list of subscriber users;
storing, on the server,
reverse auction data comprising :
an item subject to the reverse
auction, an initial cost of the item subject to the reverse auction, a
time when the reverse auction is due to commence;
generating, on the
server, a clock signal adapted to provide a time synchronisation
signal;
determining one or more live users from the list of subscriber
users, creating a live user list of determined live users, then
controlling the user device of each user on the live user list to
display the reverse auction data;
synchronising the user device of
each live user with the server clock;
commencing the reverse auction
at the time the reverse auction is due to commence;
detecting a user
from the live user list has selected a first location on an interface
of their user device corresponding to a button graphic, storing a list
of participant users on the server as a subset of the live users, then
notifying each participant user that they are eligible to participate
in the reverse auction;
controlling the user device of each live user
to display a countdown time on the interface of each user device,
synchronised with the server clock and associated with a time
remaining in the reverse auction process;
controlling the user device
of each live user to display the cost of the item on the interface of
each user device and decreasing the cost of the item based on the
countdown time;
controlling the user device of each live user to
display a target graphic on the interface of each user device of at
least each participant user and shown at a second location of the
interface;
detecting a dragging motion from the first location of the
interface of a user device of a participant user to a second location;
and determining the dragging motion has reached the second location,
determining the clock time the dragging motion reached the second
location then, ending the reverse auction.
