System for authentication and tracking of event tickets

• US 10,108,909 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2013
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MetLife Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MetLife Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sulavik, Stephen, Yee, Julie, Skorzewski, Jeanetta
• Primary Examiner(s): Walsh, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US13/939,865
• Publication Number:
  US 20150014412A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,930 Days
• Field of Search: 235382, 705 261
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/33 using certificates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0457 the tickets being sent electronically
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/77 Graphical identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

The invention provides a system for verification of tickets issued for receipt of goods and/or services, which system comprises: one or more tickets, one or more ticket identification codes corresponding to each ticket, wherein each ticket identification code is unique to each ticket, a database server storing the ticket identification codes, and a mobile device, wherein the mobile device is in communication with the database server and is capable of reading the ticket identification codes. The system provides event staff with a reliable and efficient system for verifying the authenticity and tracking redemption of issued tickets. The system also provides event staff with stored customer data upon scanning a ticket.

Claims

1. A networked system for tracking tickets comprising:

a mobile computing device comprising;

a programmed controlled input interface configured to scan a ticket identification code from a ticket presented by each ticket holder;

a non-transitory storage medium storing;

a list of ticket identification codes,

redemption status associated with each ticket identification code, the redemption status includes a threshold indicating a number of redemptions available and a redemption count for each ticket identification code assigned to a group of two or more tickets,

guest authentication information of each ticket holder associated with each ticket identification code of the group of two or more tickets,

additional data comprising at least one of biometric identifiers of each ticket holder and computer retrievable data from a ticket holder device to allow for alternative authentication steps, and data required to be entered before operation of the system by an operating agent, wherein the data comprises the operating agent'"'"'s identification data;

a network communication component enabled to capture transmitted updates to the list of ticket identification codes stored on a remote server;

an output interface; and

a computer processor programmed to;

receive the scanned ticket identification code from the input interface,

determine if the scanned ticket identification code is valid by searching for the scanned ticket identification code in the list of ticket identification codes stored in the non-transitory stage medium,

display in the output interface a first negative result when the scanned ticket identification code is invalid, and a positive result when the scanned ticket identification code is valid,

determine if the scanned ticket identification code can be redeemed by checking its redemption status from the non-transitory storage medium, and by checking the redemption count with the threshold when the scanned ticket identification code is assigned to a group of two or more tickets,

display in the output interface a second negative result when the scanned ticket identification code cannot be redeemed, and a positive result when the scanned ticket identification code can be redeemed,

update the redemption status when the scanned ticket identification code can be redeemed, including incrementing the redemption count associated with the scanned ticket identification code when the scanned ticket identification code is assigned to a group of two or more tickets,

receive personal identifying information of each ticketholder of the scanned ticket identification code,

compare the received personal identifying information of each ticketholder with the guest authentication information associated with the scanned ticket identification code, and compare the additional data with data stored in the non-transitory storage medium,

update the guest authentication information stored in the non-transitory storage medium when the received personal identifying information of the ticketholder is not consistent with the stored guest authentication information,

send the updated guest authentication information to the remote server, and

synchronize information associated with the list of ticket identification codes stored in the non-transitory storage medium when a change is made in the remote server.

2. The tracking system of claim 1 wherein said remote server further comprises a ticket database that is updated in real time.

3. The tracking system of claim 1 wherein the input interface is comprised of a keyboard configured to receive manually entered data entry instructions.

4. The tracking system of claim 1 wherein the input interface is a digital camera and wherein the computer processor is further programmed to determine the ticket identification code from images captured by the digital camera.

5. The tracking system of claim 1 wherein the stored list of ticket identification codes further includes additional data associated with each ticket identification code.

6. The tracking system of claim 5 wherein the additional data is comprised of information for ticket authentication.

7. The tracking system of claim 1 wherein the network communication component further enabled to send changes to the list of ticket identification codes stored on the mobile computing device to the remote server.