Reservation management system and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A portable module for managing access to a resource by a plurality of resource users, comprising:
- a module input to allow entry to the module of a reservation request indicative of a desire to access the resource by at least one of the plurality of resource users;
a receiver arranged to wirelessly receive a resource access parameter, the resource access parameter being regularly broadcast by a server module and indicating a wait time for accessing the resource;
a processor arranged upon receipt of the reservation request to identify a time slot, based upon the received resource access parameter;
a module output arranged to indicate the identified time slot to a user of the portable module;
a fixed data storage device arranged to store the reservation request;
wherein the resource access parameter is received at the portable module prior to receipt of the reservation request; and
wherein the received resource access parameter updates the resource access parameter stored in the portable module if the received resource access parameter is determined to be newer than the stored resource access parameter, such that the identified time slot is based upon the wait time for accessing the resource indicated by the newest received resource access parameter and without continuous communication with the server module.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for reserving a time slot to gain access to a resource, such as an attraction, ride, show or event, as may be found in an amusement park. A portable module is used to determine a time when the user is able to access the resource based on reservation requests and throughput, without need for a docking station or continuous communication with a central database of all reservations and queue times.
60 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A portable module for managing access to a resource by a plurality of resource users, comprising:
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a module input to allow entry to the module of a reservation request indicative of a desire to access the resource by at least one of the plurality of resource users; a receiver arranged to wirelessly receive a resource access parameter, the resource access parameter being regularly broadcast by a server module and indicating a wait time for accessing the resource; a processor arranged upon receipt of the reservation request to identify a time slot, based upon the received resource access parameter; a module output arranged to indicate the identified time slot to a user of the portable module; a fixed data storage device arranged to store the reservation request; wherein the resource access parameter is received at the portable module prior to receipt of the reservation request; and wherein the received resource access parameter updates the resource access parameter stored in the portable module if the received resource access parameter is determined to be newer than the stored resource access parameter, such that the identified time slot is based upon the wait time for accessing the resource indicated by the newest received resource access parameter and without continuous communication with the server module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A server module for managing access to a resource by a plurality of resource users, comprising:
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a receiver arranged to wirelessly receive a resource access parameter, the resource access parameter being regularly broadcast by a server module and indicating a wait time for accessing the resource, said receiver for receiving information representative of reservation requests indicative of a desire to access the said resource by at least one of the plurality of resource users; a processor arranged to identify a time slot based upon the received resource access parameter; wherein the resource access parameter is received at the server module prior to receipt of the reservation requests; and a fixed data storage device arranged to store the reservation requests; wherein the received resource access parameter updates the resource access parameter stored in the server module if the received resource access parameter is determined to be newer than the stored resource access parameter, such that the identified time slot is based upon the wait time for accessing the resource indicated by the newest received resource access parameter and without continuous communication with the server module. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. A system for managing access to a resource by a plurality of resource users, comprising a plurality of portable modules, each portable module comprising:
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a module input to allow entry to the module of a reservation request indicative of a desire to access the said resource by at least one of the plurality of resource users; a receiver adapted to wirelessly receive a resource access parameter, the resource access parameter being regularly broadcast by a server module and indicating a wait time for accessing the resource; a processor arranged upon receipt of the reservation request to identify a time slot, based upon the received resource access parameter; and a module output arranged to indicate the identified time slot to a user of the portable module; a fixed data storage device arranged to store the reservation request; wherein the resource access parameter is received at the portable module prior to receipt of the reservation request, and the received resource access parameter updates the resource access parameter stored in the portable module if the received resource access parameter is determined to be newer than the stored resource access parameter, such that the identified time slot is based upon the wait time for accessing the resource indicated by the newest received resource access parameter and without continuous communication with the server module. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of managing access to a resource by a plurality of resource users, comprising:
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obtaining, at a portable module, an inputted reservation request indicative of a desire to access the said resource by at least one of the plurality of resource users; wirelessly receiving a resource access parameter, the resource access parameter being regularly broadcast by a server module and indicating a wait time for accessing the resource; identifying a time slot, based upon the received resource access parameter; indicating the identified time slot to a user of the respective portable module; arranging a fixed data storage device to store the reservation request; wherein the resource access parameter is received at the portable module prior to receipt of the reservation request, and the received resource access parameter updates the resource access parameter stored in the portable module if the received resource access parameter is determined to be newer than the stored resource access parameter, such that the identified time slot is based upon the wait time for accessing the resource indicated by the newest received resource access parameter and without continuous communication with the server module. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A portable module for managing access to a resource by a plurality of resource users, comprising:
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a module input to allow entry to the module of a reservation request indicative of a desire to access the said resource by at least one of the plurality of resource users; a receiver arranged to wirelessly receive a resource access parameter, the resource access parameter being regularly broadcast by a server module and indicating a wait time for accessing the resource; a processor arranged upon receipt of the reservation request to identify a time slot, based upon the received resource access parameter; a module output arranged to indicate the identified time slot to a user of the portable module; a fixed data storage device arranged to store the reservation request; wherein the resource access parameter is received at the portable module prior to receipt of the reservation request; and wherein the received resource access parameter updates the resource access parameter stored in the portable module if the received resource access parameter is determined to be newer than the stored resource access parameter, such that the identified time slot is based upon the wait time for accessing the resource indicated by the newest received resource access parameter and without continuous communication with the server module.
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34. A method of managing access to a resource by a plurality of resource users, comprising:
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obtaining, at a portable module, an inputted reservation request indicative of a desire to access the said resource by at least one of the plurality of resource users; wirelessly receiving, at the respective portable module, a resource access parameter, the resource access parameter being regularly broadcast by a server module and indicating a wait time for accessing the resource; and identifying a time slot based upon the received resource access parameter; arranging a fixed data storage device to store the reservation request; wherein the resource access parameter is received at the portable module prior to receipt of the reservation request, and the received resource access parameter updates the resource access parameter stored in the portable module if the received resource access parameter is determined to be newer than the stored resource access parameter, such that the identified time slot is based upon the wait time for accessing the resource indicated by the newest received resource access parameter and without continuous communication with the server module.
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35. A portable electronic device configured to manage a reservation for a user to access one or more resources, the portable electronic device comprising:
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a wireless receiver, configured to receive over a mobile communications network an resource access parameter from a server, the resource access parameter providing an indication of a wait time until the user can access each of the one or more resources; a device input, configured to receive a reservation request from a user of the portable electronic device for a selected resource from the one or more resources; a processor, configured to determine a reservation time when the user can access the selected resource using the received resource access parameter, in response to receipt of the reservation request; and a device output, configured to inform the user of the determined reservation time, such that the user may gain access to the selected resource at any time after the determined reservation time without the portable electronic device notifying the determined reservation time to the server; wherein the resource access parameter is received at the portable electronic device prior to receipt of the reservation request; and wherein the received resource access parameter updates the resource access parameter stored in the portable electronic device if the received resource access parameter is determined to be newer than the stored resource access parameter, such that the determined reservation time is based upon the wait time until the user can access each of the one or more resources indicated by the newest received resource access parameter and without continuous communication with the server. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification