Author: claimsbot

1. A light source comprising:
a reflector having a front side and a back side;
at least one light-emitting element associated with said reflector and positioned on said front side;
a volume between said reflector and said light-emitting element; said volume substantially filled by paths of light rays connecting said light-emitting element with said reflector;
a first heat-conducting body positioned at least partially within said volume; and
said heat-conducting body providing a pathway for heat to flow from said light-emitting element toward said back side of said reflector.
2. The device of claim 1, where said light-emitting element is a light-emitting diode.
3. The device of claim 1, where said reflector comprises a front surface of a second heat-conducting body.
4. The device of claim 3, where said second heat-conducting body is metallic.
5. The device of claim 4, where said second heat-conducting body includes at least one of copper or aluminum.
6. The device of claim 1, including a heat sink associated with said reflector and positioned on said back side, where said first heat-conducting body is thermally coupled to said heat sink.
7. The device of claim 1, wherein the distance from said light-emitting element to the periphery of said reflector is larger than the distance to at least one interior region of said reflector, and said first heat-conducting body provides a pathway for heat to flow from said light-emitting element toward said interior region.
8. The device of claim 1,
said reflector having a central optical axis;
said first heat-conducting body comprising a central hub positioned near said optical axis and thermally coupled to said light-emitting element; and
at least one axial vane thermally coupled to said hub.
9. The device of claim 8, including:
said reflector positioned for redirecting the majority of light rays from said light emitting element to exit said reflector toward said front side with said redirected rays lying in planes substantially parallel to said optical axis;
said axial vane being positioned predominantly in one of said planes containing said optical axis; and
said axial vane having two opposing flat sides predominantly parallel to said plane, and at least one edge perpendicular to said plane and facing said reflector, said edge being much smaller in area than either of said flat sides.
10. The device of claim 9, said edge making an angle with said optical axis between about 30 and 65 degrees.
11. The device of claim 8, said vane having a higher thermal conductivity in a first direction parallel to said plane than in a second direction perpendicular to said plane.
12. The device of claim 8, including between three and six of said axial vanes.
13. The device of claim 1, said first heat-conducting body being formed of a highly thermally conductive material.
14. The device of claim 13, said material including at least one of a metallic material or graphite.
15. A light source comprising:
a reflector having a central optical axis;
a light-emitting element positioned near said central optical axis;
a volume between said reflector and said light-emitting; said volume substantially filled by paths of light rays connecting said light-emitting element with said reflector;
a heat-conducting body comprising a central hub and at least one axial vane positioned at least partially within said volume; and
said axial vane positioned predominantly in a plane containing said central optical axis, and said axial vane having a higher thermal conductivity in at least one direction within said plane than in the direction perpendicular to said plane.
16. The device of claim 15, where said axial vane includes a material having anisotropic thermal conductivity.
17. The device of claim 15, where said axial vane includes a heat pipe.
18. A light source comprising:
a reflector having a front side, a back side, and a central optical axis;
at least one light-emitting element associated with said reflector and positioned on said front side;
a first heat-conducting body comprising a central hub positioned near said optical axis and thermally coupled to said light-emitting element;
at least one axial vane thermally coupled to said hub;
said reflector redirecting the majority of light rays from said light-emitting element to exit said reflector toward said front side with said redirected rays lying in planes substantially parallel to said optical axis;
said axial vane being positioned predominantly in one of said planes containing said optical axis; and
said axial vane having two opposing flat sides predominantly parallel to said plane, and at least one edge perpendicular to said plane and facing said reflector, said edge being much smaller than either of said flat sides.
19. The device of claim 18, where said reflector is a non-imaging reflector.
20. The device of claim 19, where said non-imaging reflector includes at least one conic section having at least one focal point at an edge of said light-emitting surface.
21. The device of claim 20, including a light-emitting diode immersed in an encapsulant dome forming a virtual image of said light-emitting diode, and said light-emitting surface comprising said virtual image.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. A patient monitoring system for providing patient data to one or more workstations connected to a computer network, said system comprising:
one or more sensors attached to said patient, said sensors configured to measure physiologic data from said patient;
a patient monitoring device attached to said one or more sensors, said patient monitoring device configured to gather said physiologic data and use a communication system to communicate said physiologic data to a central data monitoring device;
one or more data servers connected to said computer network, said data servers configured to supply data to said workstations using a first protocol; and
one or more waveform servers connected to said central data monitoring device, said waveform servers receiving said physiologic information from said central data monitoring device, said waveform servers connected to said computer network, said waveform servers configured to supply said physiologic data to said workstations using a second protocol.
2. The patient monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said communication system comprises a wireless link between said patient monitoring device and said central data monitoring device.
3. The patient monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said first protocol is a low level network protocol.
4. The patient monitoring system of claim 3, wherein said first protocol is TCPIP.
5. The patient monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said second protocol is a high level protocol.
6. The patient monitoring system of claim 5, wherein said high level protocol is an application level protocol.
7. The patient monitoring system of claim 3, wherein said second protocol is a high level protocol.
8. The patient monitoring system of claim 7, wherein said second protocol uses said first protocol.
9. The patient monitoring system of claim 8, wherein said first protocol is TCPIP and said second protocol is HTTP.
10. The patient monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a first software program stored within a memory in said workstations, said software configured to communicate with said data server using said first protocol.
11. The patient monitoring system of claim 10, wherein said first software program is configured to run a second software program substantially contemporaneously with said first software program.
12. The patient monitoring system of claim 11, wherein said second software program is configured to communicate with at least one of said waveform servers using said first protocol.
13. The patient monitoring system of claim 11, wherein said second software program is configured to obtain said physiologic data from at least one of said waveform servers by communicating with said at least one of said waveform servers using said first protocol.
14. The patient monitoring system of claim 13, wherein said second software program is configured to obtain said physiologic data from said at least one of said waveform servers in data packets with varying latency periods, and wherein said second software program is configured to display said physiologic data on a display device such that it appears to a person observing said display device that physiologic data is being received as a stream of data with uniform latency periods.
15. A method for efficiently using a packet switched computer network to provide quasi-static data and near real-time data to a workstation, where said quasi-static data is related to said near real-time data, said method comprising the steps of:
using a first server software module to supply said quasi-static data, over said network, to said workstation, using a first protocol;
using a second server software module to supply said near real-time data, over said network, to said workstation, using a second protocol;
using a first client software module running on said workstation to receive said quasi-static data, from said network; and
using a second client software module running on said workstation to receive said near real-time data from said network.
16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:
gathering said near real-time data at a location remote from said second data server; and
using a communication device to communicate said near-real time data from said remote location to said second data server.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein said first protocol is HTTP.
18. The method of claim 15, wherein said second protocol is TCPIP.
19. The method of claim 15, wherein said first server is a Web server.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein said first client is a Web browser.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein said second client software module is an applet loaded by said Web browser.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein said applet is written in the JAVA programming language.
23. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of displaying said quasi-static data and said near real-time data on a display device.
24. The method of claim 15, wherein said second client software module uses a socket connection to retrieve said near real-time data from said second server.
25. A method for efficiently using a packet switched computer network to provide database data and physiologic data to a workstation, where said database data is related to said physiologic data, said method comprising the steps of:
using a first server software program to supply said database data, over said network, to said workstation, using a first protocol;
using a second server software program to supply said physiologic data, over said network, to said workstation, using a second protocol;
using a first client software program running on said workstation to receive said database data, from said network; and
using a second client software program running on said workstation to receive said physiologic data from said network.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of conducting a business-to-business online auction for custom industrial products or materials between a buyer and a plurality of potential sellers, comprising the steps of:
(a) offering a first and a second lot, defined at least in part by a buyer, to a plurality of potential sellers, said first and second lots having at least one product;
(b) defining a closing time for said first lot before which bids for said first lot are to be submitted by potential sellers;
(c) defining a closing time for said second lot before which bids for said second lot must be submitted by a potential seller, said closing time for said second lot being later than said closing time for said first lot by a first time interval;
(d) receiving bids from potential sellers for said first lot;
(e) extending said closing time of said first lot by an incremental amount of time upon the occurrence of a predetermined lot extension criterion relating to said received bids; and
(f) extending said closing time of said second lot if said extended closing time of said first lot precedes said closing time of said second lot by less than a second time interval.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) comprises the step of determining whether a received bid is better than the best of the previously received bids.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein step (e) comprises the step of determining whether a received bid is the lowest bid.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) comprises the step of determining if a received bid is within a predetermined amount of a preceding bid.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein step (e) comprises the step of determining whether a bid is received within a third time interval of said first lot closing time.
6. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of:
offering a third lot to the plurality of potential sellers;
defining a closing time for said third lot before which bids for said third lot must be submitted by a potential seller, said closing time for said third lot being later than said closing time for said second lot by a fourth time interval;
determining whether said extended closing time of said second lot precedes said closing time of said third lot by less than a fifth time interval; and, if so,
extending said closing time of said third lot.
7. A method of conducting an online auction between a buyer and a plurality of potential sellers, comprising the steps of:
(a) offering a plurality of lots, defined at least in part by a buyer, to a plurality of potential sellers, each of said plurality of lots having at least one product;
(b) defining a closing time for each of said plurality of lots, wherein a closing time for a lot defines a time before which bids for the lot are to be submitted by a potential seller;
(c) upon the extension of a closing time for a first lot, determining whether a closing time for a second lot is within a predefined time interval from the extended closing time of said first lot; and
(d) if the closing time for said second lot is within a predefined time interval from the extended closing time of said first lot, extending said closing time of said second lot such that the time between the extended closing time of said second lot and the extended closing time of said first lot is at least said predefined time interval.
8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:
upon the extension of a closing time for said second lot, determining whether a closing time for a third lot is within said predefined time interval from the extended closing time of said second lot; and
if the closing time for said third lot is within a predefined time interval from the extended closing time of said second lot, extending said closing time of said third lot such that the time between the extended closing time of said third lot and the extended closing time of said second lot is at least said predefined time interval.
9. A method of conducting a business-to-business online auction for custom industrial products or materials between a buyer and a plurality of potential sellers, comprising the steps of:
(a) offering a plurality of lots, defined at least in part by a buyer, to a plurality of potential sellers, each of said plurality of lots having at least one product;
(b) defining a closing time for each of said plurality of lots, wherein a closing time for a lot defines a time before which bids for the lot are to be submitted by a potential seller;
(c) defining an overtime extension parameter for each of said plurality of lots, said overtime extension parameter indicating a length of an overtime period for an associated lot, wherein an overtime extension parameter for a lot is based upon characteristics of one or more items in the lot;
(d) determining whether an overtime period is triggered in one of said plurality of lots; and
(e) if an overtime period is triggered in said one of said plurality of lots, extending the auction for said one of said plurality of lots by an amount of time defined by said overtime extension parameter associated with said one of said plurality of lots.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of storing overtime extension parameters for each of said plurality of lots.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein step (e) comprises the step of adding the value of an overtime extension parameter with a market closing time for a lot.
12. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of dynamically varying an overtime extension parameter associated with a lot during an auction for the lot.
13. A method of conducting a business-to-business online auction for custom industrial products or materials between a buyer and a plurality of potential sellers, comprising the steps of:
(a) offering a lot, defined at least in part by a buyer, to a plurality of potential sellers, said lot having at least one product;
(b) defining a closing time for said lot, wherein said closing time for said lot defines a time before which bids for the lot are to be submitted by a potential seller;
(c) receiving a first bid from a potential seller for said lot;
(d) identifying said first bid as a current best bid;
(e) comparing each successively received bid to said current best bid, and identifying said successive bid as said current best bid if said successive bid is better than said current best bid;
(f) within a first time interval of said closing time for said lot,
(i) determining whether a received bid is better than said current best bid;
(ii) if said received bid is better than said current best bid, identifying said received bid as said current best bid and extending said closing time for said first lot by a second time interval;
(iii) if said received bid is not better than said current best bid, determining whether said received bid satisfies at least one behind-market bid lot extension criteria; and
(iv) if said received bid satisfies at least one behind-market bid lot extension criteria, extending said closing time for said first lot by a third time interval.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein said second time interval is equal to said third time interval.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein step (f)(iii) comprises the step of determining whether said received bid is received within a fourth time interval of said closing time.
16. The method of claim 13, wherein step (f)(iii) comprises the step of determining whether said received bid is within a predefined percentage of said current best bid.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein step (f)(iii) comprises the step of storing a percentage parameter in memory.
18. The method of claim 13, wherein step (f)(iii) comprises the step of determining whether said received bid is higher than said current best bid by a selected amount.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein step (f)(iii) comprises the step of storing a price distance parameter in memory.
20. The method of claim 16, wherein step (f)(iii) comprises the step of determining whether said received bid is from an incumbent supplier.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein the step (f)(iii) comprises the step of storing an incumbent supplier parameter in memory.
22. The method of claim 13, wherein step (f)(iii) comprises the step of determining whether said received bid is within a predefined number of rank ordinal positions of said current best bid.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein step (f)(iii) comprises the step of storing an ordinal position parameter in memory.
24. A method of conducting an online auction between a buyer and a plurality of potential sellers, comprising the steps of:
(a) offering a lot, defined at least in part by a buyer, to a plurality of potential sellers, said lot having at least one product;
(b) defining a closing time for said lot, wherein said closing time for said lot defines a time before which bids for the lot are to be submitted by a potential seller;
(c) within a first time interval of said closing time for said lot, determining if a received bid satisfies at least one behind-market bid lot extension criteria, wherein said at least one behind-market bid lot extension criteria can be satisfied if said received bid is not better than a current best bid; and
(d) if said received bid satisfies at least one behind-market bid lot extension criteria, extending said closing time for said first lot by a second time interval.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein step (d) comprises the step of determining whether said received bid is received within a third time interval of said closing time.
26. The method of claim 24, wherein step (d) comprises the step of determining whether said received bid is within a predefined percentage of said current best bid.
27. The method of claim 26, wherein step (d) comprises the step of storing a percentage parameter in memory.
28. The method of claim 24, wherein step (d) comprises the step of determining whether said received bid is higher than said current best bid by a selected amount.
29. The method of claim 28, wherein step (d) comprises the step of storing a price distance parameter in memory.
30. The method of claim 24, wherein step (d) comprises the step of determining whether said received bid is from an incumbent supplier.
31. The method of claim 30, wherein step(d) comprises the step of storing an incumbent supplier parameter in memory.
32. The method of claim 24, wherein step (d) comprises the step of determining whether said received bid is within a predefined number of rank ordinal positions of said current best bid.
33. The method of claim 32, wherein step (d) comprises the step of storing an ordinal position parameter in memory.
34. A bidding method in an auction between a buyer and a plurality of potential sellers, comprising the steps of:
(a) receiving initial line item bids for individual line items in a lot of products, at least one of said initial line item bids including a locked portion and an unlocked portion;
(b) calculating an initial lot bid price using said initial line item bids;
(c) receiving an adjustment to the total bid for a lot;
(d) calculating line item price adjustments using said lot bid adjustment, wherein line item price adjustments are made on a pro rata basis to the unlocked portions of said initial line item bids; and
(e) calculating an updated lot bid price using said line item adjustments.
35. The method of claim 34, wherein step (c) comprises the step of receiving information representing a price adjustment for said initial lot bid price.
36. The method of claim 34, wherein step (c) comprises the step of receiving information representing a percentage reduction in said initial lot bid price.
37. The method of claim 34, wherein step (a) comprises the step of receiving an initial line item bid for a line item having only a locked portion.
38. The method of claim 34, wherein step (a) comprises the step of receiving an initial line item bid for a line item having only an unlocked portion.
39. The method of claim 34, further comprising the step of determining whether said lot bid adjustment exceeds a sum of all of the unlocked portions in said initial line item bids.
40. The method of claim 34, further comprising the step of unlocking at least part of a locked portion of a line item bid.
41. The method of claim 34, further comprising the step of storing locked and unlocked portions of each of said line item bids.
42. A computer program product for enabling a processor in a computer system to process bidding information in an auction between a buyer and a plurality of potential sellers, said computer program product comprising:
a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for causing an application program to execute on the computer system, said computer readable program code means comprising
a first computer readable program code means for enabling the computer system to receive initial line item bids for individual line items in a lot of products, at least one of said initial line item bids including a locked portion and an unlocked portion;
a second computer readable program code means for enabling the computer system to calculate an initial lot bid price using said initial line item bids;
a third computer readable program code means for enabling the computer system to receive a lot bid adjustment;
a fourth computer readable program code means for enabling the computer system to calculate line item price adjustments using said lot bid adjustment, wherein line item price adjustments are made on a pro rata basis to the unlocked portions of said initial line item bids; and
a fifth computer readable program code means for enabling the computer system to calculate an updated lot bid prices using said line item adjustments.
43. The computer program product of claim 42, wherein said lot bid adjustment is a price adjustment in said initial lot bid price.
44. The computer program product of claim 42, wherein said lot bid adjustment is a percentage reduction in said initial lot bid price.
45. The computer program product of claim 42, wherein a line item bid for a line item has only a locked portion.
46. The computer program product of claim 42, wherein a line item bid for a line item has only an unlocked portion.
47. The computer program product of claim 42, further comprising computer readable program code means for enabling the computer system to determine whether said lot bid adjustment exceeds a sum of all of the unlocked portions in said initial line item bids.
48. The computer program product of claim 42, further comprising computer readable program code means for enabling the computer system to unlock at least part of a locked portion of a line item bid.
49. The computer program product of claim 42, further comprising computer readable program code means for enabling the computer system to store locked and unlocked portions of each of said line item bids.
50. A bidding method in an on-line auction, comprising the steps of:
(a) defining a flexible line item decision rule, said flexible line item decision rule being created to accommodate a pre-auction bidding strategy relating to one or more aspects of a line item portion of a bid for a lot of products;
(b) receiving information specifying a bid for a lot of products, said bid including a plurality of line item portions for corresponding line items in said lot of products;
(c) receiving information specifying an adjustment to one or more aspects of said bid for said lot of products;
(d) analyzing said adjustment to said one or more aspects of said bid for said lot of products based on said flexible line item decision rule to determine a corresponding adjustment to one or more aspects of one or more line item portions of said bid; and
(e) effecting said corresponding adjustment to said one or more aspects of said one or more line item portions of said bid based upon the analysis of step (d).
51. The method of claim 50, wherein step (a) comprises the step of defining a locked portion and an unlocked portion for one or more line item portions of said bid.
52. The method of claim 51, wherein step (d) comprises the step of calculating line item price adjustments using a lot bid adjustment, wherein line item price adjustments are made on a pro rata basis to the unlocked portions of the line item portions of said bid.
53. A method of conducting a business-to-business online auction for custom industrial products or materials between a buyer and a plurality of potential sellers, comprising the steps of:
(a) offering a lot, defined at least in part by a buyer, to a plurality of potential sellers, said lot having at least one product;
(b) setting a bidding status for said lot to a first bidding status indicating that the buyer will accept bids from the potential sellers on said lot;
(c) receiving bids from potential sellers for said lot;
(d) upon closing of said lot, changing said bidding status for said lot from said first status to a second status indicating that the buyer will not accept bids from a potential seller on said lot of products but that said bidding status may be subsequently changed to said first bidding status;
(e) determining whether a return to open trigger event has occurred within a predetermined time period following the changing of said bidding status from said first status to said second status;
(f) if said return to open trigger event has not occurred, setting said bidding status to a third bidding status indicating that the buyer will no longer accept bids from the potential sellers on said lot of products; and
(g) if said return to open trigger event has occurred, returning said bidding status for said lot to said first bidding status.
54. The method of claim 53, wherein step (e) comprises the step of receiving a communication from a potential seller indicating a request for an opportunity to submit a further bid.
55. The method of claim 53, wherein step (g) comprises the step of returning said bidding status for said lot to said first bidding status after auctions on other lots have closed.
56. The method of claim 53, further comprising the steps of:
storing a first value that specifies the length of time that said lot will remain in said second bidding status; and
storing a second value that specifies whether said lot should automatically be changed to said third bidding status upon the expiration of the length of time specified by said first value.
57. A method of conducting a business-to-business online auction for custom industrial products or materials between a buyer and a plurality of potential sellers, comprising the steps of:
(a) offering a lot, defined at least in part by a buyer, to a plurality of potential sellers, said lot having at least one product;
(b) defining a closing time for said lot before which bids for said lot are to be submitted by potential sellers;
(c) setting a bidding status for said lot to a first status indicating that the buyer will accept bids from potential sellers of said lot;
(d) determining whether an auction pausing event has occurred;
(e) if an auction pausing event has occurred, changing said bidding status for said lot from said first status to a paused status indicating that the buyer will not accept bids from the potential sellers on said lot and that all existing bids for said lot are preserved;
(f) altering said closing time for said lot during said paused status for said lot; and
(g) changing said bidding status for said lot from said paused status to said first status once said auction pausing event has been corrected.
58. The method of claim 57, wherein step (d) comprises the step of receiving a notification from a potential seller.
59. The method of claim 57, wherein step (f) comprises the step of receiving input from an auction coordinator that identifies an alteration in said closing time.
60. A method of conducting a business-to-business online auction for custom industrial products or materials between a buyer and a plurality of potential sellers, comprising the steps of:
(a) offering a plurality of lots, defined at least in part by a buyer, to a plurality of potential sellers, each of said plurality of lots having at least one product;
(b) defining an opening and a closing time for each of said plurality of lots;
(c) determining whether an auction pausing event has occurred;
(d) if an auction pausing event has occurred, changing said bidding status for at least one of said plurality of lots to a paused status indicating that the buyer will not accept bids from the potential sellers on said lot and that any existing bids for said lot are preserved;
(e) altering at least one of said opening time and said closing time for at least one of said plurality of lots during said paused status for said lot; and
(g) changing said bidding status for said lot from said paused status to a second status once said auction pausing event has been corrected.
61. The method of claim 60, wherein step (c) comprises the step of receiving a notification from a potential seller.
62. The method of claim 60, wherein step (d) comprises the step of changing said bidding status from an available status to a paused status.
63. The method of claim 60, wherein step (d) comprises the step of changing said bidding status from an open status to a paused status.
64. The method of claim 60, wherein step (d) comprises the step of changing said bidding status from an extended status to a paused status.
65. The method of claim 60, wherein step (d) comprises the step of changing said bidding status from an overtime status to a paused status.
66. The method of claim 60, wherein step (e) comprises the step of receiving input from an auction coordinator that identifies an alteration in said closing time.
67. The method of claim 60, wherein step (e) comprises the step of altering an opening time or a closing time for each of said plurality of lots.
68. The method of claim 60, wherein step (f) comprises the step of changing said bidding status from a paused status to an available status.
69. The method of claim 60, wherein step (f) comprises the step of changing said bidding status from a paused status to an open status.
70. The method of claim 60, wherein step (f) comprises the step of changing said bidding status from a paused status to an extended status.
71. A method of conducting an online auction for custom industrial products or materials between a buyer and a plurality of potential sellers, comprising the steps of:
(a) setting an individual bid ceiling for each of a plurality of potential sellers, wherein an individual bid ceiling for at least one of said plurality of potential sellers is different from an individual bid ceiling for another of said plurality of potential sellers;
(b) receiving bids from one or more potential sellers;
(c) determining whether a received bid for a potential seller is greater than a corresponding individual bid ceiling for said potential seller; and
(d) if said received bid is greater than said individual bid ceiling for said potential seller, communicating to said potential seller that said received bid is invalid.
72. The method of claim 71, wherein step (a) includes the step of setting an individual bid ceiling based on price discovery prior to the start of the auction.
73. The method of claim 71, wherein step (a) includes the step of setting an individual bid ceiling based on the potential seller’s previous offline bid.
74. A method of conducting an auction, comprising the steps of:
(a) setting an individual bid floor for each of a plurality of potential bidders, wherein an individual bid floor for at least one of said plurality of potential bidders is different from an individual bid floor for another of said plurality of potential bidders;
(b) receiving bids from one or more potential bidders;
(c) determining whether a received bid for a potential bidder is less than a corresponding individual bid floor for said potential bidder; and
(d) if said received bid is less than said individual bid floor for said potential bidder, communicating to said potential bidder that said received bid is invalid.
75. The method of claim 74, wherein step (a) includes the step of setting an individual bid floor based on price discovery prior to the start of the auction.
76. The method of claim 74, wherein step (a) includes the step of setting an individual bid floor based on the potential bidder’s previous offline bid.
77. A method of conducting an online auction between a plurality of bidders, comprising the steps of:
(a) offering a lot, defined at least in part by an originator, to a plurality of potential bidders, said lot having at least one product;
(b) receiving a bid from a bidder for said lot, said bid being confirmed by said bidder prior to submission;
(c) determining whether said bid price on said lot passes at least one bid failsafe criteria, said at least one bid failsafe criteria incorporating system-based intelligence to determine whether said bid price on said lot is a permissible bid in view of previously received bids; and
(d) if said bid price on said lot fails said at least one bid failsafe criteria, implementing a pre-defined consequence that is associated with said at least one bid failsafe criteria.
78. The method of claim 77, wherein step (c) comprises the step of comparing said bid price to a previous bid by said bidder.
79. The method of claim 78, wherein step (c) comprises the step of determining whether said bid price is within a predefined percentage of a previous bid by said bidder.
80. The method of claim 77, wherein step (c) comprises the step of comparing said bid price to a historical lot price.
81. The method of claim 80, wherein step (c) comprises the step of determining whether said bid price meets a threshold defined by a historical lot price.
82. The method of claim 77, wherein step (c) comprises the step of comparing said bid price to a market leading bid price.
83. The method of claim 82, wherein step (c) comprises the step of determining whether said bid price is within a predefined percentage of a market leading bid price.
84. The method of claim 77, wherein step (d) comprises the step of preventing said bid price from being submitted.
85. A method of conducting an auction between a plurality of bidders, comprising the steps of:
(a) offering a lot, defined at least in part by an originator, to a plurality of potential bidders, said lot having at least one product;
S (b) defining a closing time for said lot, wherein said closing time for said lot defines a time before which bids for the lot are to be submitted by a potential bidder;
(a) receiving bids from potential bidders for said lot;
(b) determining whether an erroneous bid has been submitted by a bidder;
(c) if an erroneous bid has been submitted, deleting in real-time an erroneous bid and any consequential bids of said erroneous bid from the auction; and
(d) communicating with potential bidders that said erroneous bid and said consequential bids have been deleted from the auction.
86. The method of claim 85, wherein step (b) comprises the step of receiving a communication from a bidder that a submitted bid is in error.
87. The method of claim 85, wherein step (c) comprises the step of deleting bids from the auction based upon input from an auction coordinator.
88. The method of claim 85, wherein step (d) comprises the step of causing a message dialog box to be displayed to the potential bidders.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. A supervisory process control and manufacturing information application development and execution system supporting the execution of application object scripts derived from multiple different scripting languages, the system comprising:
a script editor interface facilitating specifying scripts for application objects, and wherein the script editor interface supports multiple distinct user-side script languages;
a script translation component including routines for rendering execution-side script from source script rendered by the script editor and written according to any of a set of user-side script languages, the set of user-side script languages including at least:
a first scripting language, and
a second scripting language; and
an engine for executing the execution-side script generated by the script translation component.
2. The application development and execution system of claim 1 wherein the user-side script translation component supports designating aliases for referenced attributes.
3. The application development and execution system of claim 1 wherein the user-side script translation component supports designating attributes using relative identifiers.
4. The application development and execution system of claim 1 wherein the relative identifiers include: an area designation.
5. The application development and execution system of claim 1 wherein the relative identifiers include: an engine designation.
6. The application development and execution system of claim 1 wherein the relative identifiers include: a container designation.
7. The application development and execution system of claim 1 wherein the first script language comprises a text-based scripting language and the second scripting language comprises a graphical object-based scripting language.
8. The application development and execution system of claim 1 wherein the execution-side scripting language supports pausing a script until at least a next scan cycle while waiting for confirmation of an operation in response to an issued request.
9. The application development and execution system of claim 8 wherein the execution-side scripting language supports terminating the pause a period of time after issuing a request.
10. The application development and execution system of claim 1 wherein the user-side scripts include a script language tag identifying the type of the user-side script language used to generate the source script.
11. The application development and execution system of claim 1 wherein scripts are inserted as customization pre-execution and post-execution instructions within an application object.