Patent Application for Online Auction Platforms with Paid Memberships

ChangeBridge: Patent Apps - Business Methods (G06Q)

Detected March 27th, 2026

Summary

The USPTO has published a new patent application (US20260087546A1) for online auction platforms that facilitate prospective buyer paid memberships or subscriptions. The application, assigned to Liboly, LLC, details a method for displaying auction listings to subscribers before non-subscribers.

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What changed

This document is a publication of a patent application, not a rule or guidance. The application US20260087546A1, filed by Liboly, LLC, describes a method for operating online auction platforms. The core innovation involves a tiered display system where subscribing users gain earlier access to auction listings compared to non-subscribing users, based on a release time parameter.

As this is a patent application, it does not impose any immediate regulatory obligations or compliance deadlines on businesses. However, companies operating online auction platforms or developing similar technologies should be aware of this potential intellectual property claim. If the patent is granted, it could impact the design and operation of future auction platforms, potentially requiring licensing agreements or design modifications to avoid infringement.

Source document (simplified)

← USPTO Patent Applications

ONLINE AUCTION PLATFORMS AND METHODS OF OPERATING THE SAME TO FACILITATE PROSPECTIVE BUYER PAID MEMBERSHIPS OR SUBSCRIPTIONS

Application US20260087546A1 Kind: A1 Mar 26, 2026

Assignee

Liboly, LLC

Inventors

Mark Christopher Reichel

Abstract

Online auction platforms and methods of operating the same to facilitate prospective buyer paid memberships or subscriptions. In one method of operating an online auction platform, the method includes the steps of receiving an auction listing listed at a recorded time for a product including an initial auction bid price and a direct purchase price, determining, by one or more network connected servers, a release time for the auction listing for non-subscribing users based on the recorded time and a time delay parameter, first displaying the auction listing to a subscribing user of the online auction platform prior to the auction listing being available to a non-subscribing user of the online auction platform, and second displaying the auction listing to a non-subscribing user of the online auction platform after a predetermined time has elapsed between the recorded time and a then-current server time or on or after the release time.