Entertainment event ticket purchase and exchange system
DCFirst Claim
1. A system for selling and exchanging electronic tickets for entertainment events, comprising:
- a patron interface via which patrons purchase electronic tickets for an entertainment event at a venue from a vendor;
a storage system which stores information regarding electronic tickets purchased by patrons;
a seating system which determines an assignment of seats at said venue for respective electronic tickets purchased for the entertainment event, and dynamically re-allocates the seat assignments as additional tickets are obtained by patrons prior to the entertainment event; and
an entry system having at least one access control device with a reader at the venue of an event, which;
(i) communicates with said seating system prior to the beginning of the entertainment event, to receive information regarding the seats that have been assigned to purchased tickets,(ii) is responsive to presentation of identifying information pertaining to an entering patron at said reader to communicate with said storage system and determine whether the identified patron is an owner of an electronic ticket for the entertainment event,(iii) in response to said determination, automatically provides the entering patron who is determined to be associated with an electronic ticket with physical access to the venue at which the entertainment event is being presented, and(iv) provides the entering patron with an indication of the seat that has been assigned to the electronic ticket associated with the entering patron, at the time that entry is provided by said access control device.
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Litigations
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic ticket exchange system offers tickets using a market-making system. Patrons submit bids, for seats of different quality, and an initial price is established for each quality of seat. A trading system provides for a secondary market in which patrons who have purchased tickets for an event can readily sell them to other patrons. All of the rights associated with a ticket, such as entry into the venue, parking privileges, designated seating, etc., are stored in a electronic form. An electronic venue entry control system verifies that a person owns an electronic ticket property right, and authorizes the privileges associated with the ticket. A seating system is employed to determine an optimal seating configuration based upon patron-specific preferences, after the initial sale of tickets and prior to entry into the venue. The specific assigned seats are indicated to the ticket holder at the time of entry.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A system for selling and exchanging electronic tickets for entertainment events, comprising:
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a patron interface via which patrons purchase electronic tickets for an entertainment event at a venue from a vendor; a storage system which stores information regarding electronic tickets purchased by patrons; a seating system which determines an assignment of seats at said venue for respective electronic tickets purchased for the entertainment event, and dynamically re-allocates the seat assignments as additional tickets are obtained by patrons prior to the entertainment event; and an entry system having at least one access control device with a reader at the venue of an event, which; (i) communicates with said seating system prior to the beginning of the entertainment event, to receive information regarding the seats that have been assigned to purchased tickets, (ii) is responsive to presentation of identifying information pertaining to an entering patron at said reader to communicate with said storage system and determine whether the identified patron is an owner of an electronic ticket for the entertainment event, (iii) in response to said determination, automatically provides the entering patron who is determined to be associated with an electronic ticket with physical access to the venue at which the entertainment event is being presented, and (iv) provides the entering patron with an indication of the seat that has been assigned to the electronic ticket associated with the entering patron, at the time that entry is provided by said access control device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for the sale and dissemination of tickets for entertainment events, comprising:
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a patron interface via which a patron can purchase electronic tickets to an entertainment event at a venue for that patron and for other individuals; a storage system which stores information regarding each electronic ticket purchased by the patron, said information associating each electronic ticket with a particular person; a notification system which is responsive to a purchase of an electronic ticket by the patron for at least one individual other than said patron, to automatically provide a notification to the at least one individual that a patron has purchased a ticket to an entertainment event for that individual, and such ticket is available to said individual; and an entry system which is responsive to presentation of information pertaining to an individual to (i) communicate with said storage system and determine whether that individual is associated with an electronic ticket stored in said storage system for a current entertainment event, and (ii) permit individuals who are associated with electronic tickets for the current event to enter the venue at which the event is being presented. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification