Prioritized link establishment for data transfer using task scheduling

• US 10,242,218 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2017
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Live Nation Entertainment Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Live Nation Entertainment Incorporated
• Inventors: Werneke, John Raymond, Levin, Samuel, Scarborough, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhao, Don G
• Application Number:
  US15/790,407
• Publication Number:
  US 20180157859A1
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4881 Scheduling strategies for dispatcher, e.g. round robin, multi-level priority queues
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/125 by balancing the load, e.g. traffic engineering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/6275 based on priority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/088 using filters or firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A system and method for scheduling data transfers between systems. One or more data requesting systems may request access to particular data. The request for access to the particular data may correspond to a request that a task to be performed. The task may be to exchange the particular data between a data accessing system having access to the particular data and a data requesting system requesting access to the particular data. The communication exchange may be scheduled for processing. In some embodiments, the communication exchange may be initiated based on a parameter included in the request that the task be performed.

Claims

1. A ticketing system for allocating loads for events based on broker rules and electronic-ticket characteristics, the ticketing system comprising:

one or more network interfaces configured to provide access to one or more networks;

one or more processors coupled to the one or more network interfaces to facilitate communication exchanges for allocating loads automatically in response to ticket requests via the one or more network interfaces; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions which when executed on the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform actions including;

establishing, via the one or more network interfaces, a communication channel between the ticketing system and a broker system;

receiving, at the ticketing system and via the communication channel, one or more communications from the broker system that allow the ticketing system to identify;

a plurality of request parameters, each request parameter of the plurality of request parameters corresponding to a particular request that a future load be allocated to the broker system, the future load being allocated to the broker system when the future load satisfies a constraint included in the respective each request parameter, the constraint representing a value threshold or a range of values associated with electronic tickets to an event, and the future load existing at the ticketing system at a later time in the future; and

a plurality of allocation parameters, each allocation parameter of the plurality of allocation parameters identifying a requirement for allocating the future load to user devices, the plurality of allocation parameters including at least a destination server and a user device allocation parameter;

defining an allocation rule corresponding to the broker system based on the plurality of request parameters and the plurality of allocation parameters;

accessing, for the event, assignment data indicating which electronic tickets for the event remain unassigned;

generating a first load based on the assignment data, the first load corresponding to a plurality of unassigned electronic-ticket slots for the event;

identifying a plurality of electronic-ticket characteristics for the first load, each electronic-ticket characteristic of the plurality of electronic-ticket characteristics corresponding to a value or characteristic of an electronic ticket to the event;

determining whether the plurality of electronic-ticket characteristics corresponds to the plurality of request parameters, the determination including comparing each electronic-ticket characteristic of the plurality of electronic-ticket characteristics to the constraint associated with at least one request parameter of the plurality of request parameters to determine whether the electronic-ticket characteristic satisfies the constraint;

in response to determining that the plurality of electronic-ticket characteristics corresponds to the plurality of request parameters, allocating the first load to the broker system;

transmitting information to the destination server, the information identifying the event and the user device allocation parameter;

receiving a communication indicating that a portion of the first load has been assigned to a particular user device in accordance with the user device allocation parameter; and

updating the assignment data to associate one or more electronic-ticket slots corresponding to the portion of the first load with an identifier associated with the particular user device.

2. The ticketing system for allocating loads for events based on broker rules and electronic-ticket characteristics as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of allocation parameters include a dimensioning technique for transforming the first load to change between a first shape and a second shape;

the actions further include transforming the first load in accordance with the dimensioning technique; and

the information reflects a dimension of the transformed first load.

3. The ticketing system for allocating loads for events based on broker rules and electronic-ticket characteristics as recited in claim 1, wherein the actions further include:

in response to the determination, transmitting a load-identifying communication to the broker system that identifies the plurality of electronic-ticket characteristics; and

receiving a response communication from the broker system indicating that the first load is requested, wherein the first load is allocated to the broker system further in response to receiving the response communication.

4. The ticketing system for allocating loads for events based on broker rules and electronic-ticket characteristics as recited in claim 1, wherein the allocation parameter includes a threshold, and wherein determining that the plurality of electronic-ticket characteristics corresponds to the plurality of request parameters includes determining that the allocation parameter is equal to or less than the threshold.

5. The ticketing system for allocating loads for events based on broker rules and electronic-ticket characteristics as recited in claim 1, wherein the actions further include:

establishing a second communication channel between the ticketing system and a second broker system;

receiving, at the ticketing system and via the second communication channel, one or more communications from the second broker system, that identify;

a second plurality of request parameters that identify parameters of a load requested for allocation, the plurality of request parameters including a first allocation parameter, wherein the plurality of electronic-ticket characteristics corresponds to the second plurality of request parameters;

a second plurality of allocation parameters that identify parameters for allocating the load, the plurality of allocation parameters including a second allocation parameter;

defining a second allocation rule corresponding to the second broker system based on the second plurality of request parameters and the second plurality of allocation parameters; and

determining that load allocation is to be biased towards allocation to the broker system over the second broker system, the determination being based on a broker selection technique, the allocation rule, and the second allocation rule, wherein the first load is allocated to the broker system based at least partly in response to the bias.

6. The ticketing system for allocating loads for events based on broker rules and electronic-ticket characteristics as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of request parameters includes a specification of a size of the first load, a type of at least part of the first load, and a first allocation parameter.

7. A computer-implemented method for allocating loads for events based on broker rules and electronic-ticket characteristics, the method comprising:

establishing a communication channel between a ticketing system and a broker system;

receiving, at the ticketing system and via the communication channel, one or more communications from the broker system that allow the ticketing system to identify;

a plurality of request parameters, each request parameter of the plurality of request parameters corresponding to a particular request that a future load be allocated to the broker system, the future load being allocated to the broker system when the future load satisfies a constraint included in the respective each request parameter, the constraint representing a value threshold or a range of values associated with electronic tickets to an event, and the future load existing at the ticketing system at a later time in the future; and

a plurality of allocation parameters, each allocation parameter of the plurality of allocation parameters identifying a requirement for allocating the future load to user devices, the plurality of allocation parameters including at least a destination server and a user device allocation parameter;

defining an allocation rule corresponding to the broker system based on the plurality of request parameters and the plurality of allocation parameters;

accessing, for the event, assignment data indicating which electronic tickets for the event remain unassigned;

generating a first load based on the assignment data, the first load corresponding to a plurality of unassigned electronic-ticket slots for the event;

identifying a plurality of electronic-ticket characteristics for the first load, each electronic-ticket characteristic of the plurality of electronic-ticket characteristics corresponding to a value or characteristic of an electronic ticket to the event;

determining whether the plurality of electronic-ticket characteristics corresponds to the plurality of request parameters, the determination including comparing each electronic-ticket characteristic of the plurality of electronic-ticket characteristics to the constraint associated with at least one request parameter of the plurality of request parameters to determine whether the electronic-ticket characteristic satisfies the constraint;

in response to determining that the plurality of electronic-ticket characteristics corresponds to the plurality of request parameters, allocating the first load to the broker system;

transmitting information to the destination server, the information identifying the event and the user device allocation parameter;

receiving a communication indicating that a portion of the first load has been assigned to a particular user device in accordance with the user device allocation parameter; and

updating the assignment data to associate one or more electronic-ticket slots corresponding to the portion of the first load with an identifier associated with the particular user device.

8. The computer-implemented method for allocating loads for events based on broker rules and electronic-ticket characteristics as recited in claim 7, wherein:

the plurality of allocation parameters include a dimensioning technique for transforming the first load to change between a first shape and a second shape;

the method further includes transforming the first load in accordance with the dimensioning technique; and

the information reflects a dimension of the transformed first load.

9. The computer-implemented method for allocating loads for events based on broker rules and electronic-ticket characteristics as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

in response to the determination, transmitting a load-identifying communication to the broker system that identifies the plurality of electronic-ticket characteristics; and

receiving a response communication from the broker system indicating that the first load is requested, wherein the first load is allocated to the broker system further in response to receiving the response communication.

10. The computer-implemented method for allocating loads for events based on broker rules and electronic-ticket characteristics as recited in claim 7, wherein the allocation parameter includes a threshold, and wherein determining that the plurality of electronic-ticket characteristics corresponds to the plurality of request parameters includes determining that the allocation parameter is equal to or less than the threshold.

11. The computer-implemented method for allocating loads for events based on broker rules and electronic-ticket characteristics as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

establishing a second communication channel between a primary load management system and a second broker system;

receiving, at the primary load management system and via the second communication channel, one or more communications from the second broker system, that identify;

a second plurality of request parameters that identify parameters of a load requested for allocation, the plurality of request parameters including a third allocation parameter, wherein the plurality of electronic-ticket characteristics corresponds to the second plurality of request parameters;

a second plurality of allocation parameters that identify parameters for allocating the load, the plurality of allocation parameters including a fourth allocation parameter;

defining a second allocation rule corresponding to the second broker system based on the second plurality of request parameters and the second plurality of allocation parameters; and

determining that load allocation is to be biased towards allocation to the broker system over the second broker system, the determination being based on a secondary-system selection technique, the allocation rule, and the second allocation rule, wherein the first load is allocated to the broker system based at least partly in response to the bias.

12. The computer-implemented method for allocating loads for events based on broker rules and electronic-ticket characteristics as recited in claim 7, wherein the plurality of request parameters includes a specification of a size of the first load, a type of at least part of the first load, and the allocation parameter.

13. A computer-program product tangibly embodied in a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, including instructions configured to cause one or more processors to perform actions including:

establishing a communication channel between a ticketing system and a broker system;

receiving, at the ticketing system and via the communication channel, one or more communications from the broker system that allow the ticketing system to identify;

a plurality of request parameters, each request parameter of the plurality of request parameters corresponding to a particular request that a future load be allocated to the broker system, the future load being allocated to the broker system when the future load satisfies a constraint included in the respective each request parameter, the constraint representing a value threshold or a range of values associated with electronic tickets to an event, and the future load existing at the ticketing system at a later time in the future; and

a plurality of allocation parameters, each allocation parameter of the plurality of allocation parameters identifying a requirement for allocating the future load to user devices, the plurality of allocation parameters including at least a destination server and a user device allocation parameter;

defining an allocation rule corresponding to the broker system based on the plurality of request parameters and the plurality of allocation parameters;

accessing, for the event, assignment data indicating which electronic tickets for the event remain unassigned;

generating a first load based on the assignment data, the first load corresponding to a plurality of unassigned electronic-ticket slots for the event;

identifying a plurality of electronic-ticket characteristics for the first load, each electronic-ticket characteristic of the plurality of electronic-ticket characteristics corresponding to a value or characteristic of an electronic ticket to the event;

determining whether the plurality of electronic-ticket characteristics corresponds to the plurality of request parameters, the determination including comparing each electronic-ticket characteristic of the plurality of electronic-ticket characteristics to the constraint associated with at least one request parameter of the plurality of request parameters to determine whether the electronic-ticket characteristic satisfies the constraint;

in response to determining that the plurality of electronic-ticket characteristics corresponds to the plurality of request parameters, allocating the first load to the broker system;

transmitting information to the destination server, the information identifying the event and the user device allocation parameter;

receiving a communication indicating that a portion of the first load has been assigned to a particular user device in accordance with the user device allocation parameter; and

updating the assignment data to associate one or more electronic-ticket slots corresponding to the portion of the first load with an identifier associated with the particular user device.

14. The computer-program product as recited in claim 13, wherein:

the plurality of allocation parameters include a dimensioning technique for transforming the first load to change between a first shape and a second shape;

the actions further comprising transforming the first load in accordance with the dimensioning technique; and

the information reflects a dimension of the transformed first load.

15. The computer-program product as recited in claim 13, wherein the actions further include:

in response to the determination, transmitting a load-identifying communication to the broker system that identifies the plurality of electronic-ticket characteristics; and

receiving a response communication from the broker system indicating that the first load is requested, wherein the first load is allocated to the broker system further in response to receiving the response communication.

16. The computer-program product as recited in claim 13, wherein the allocation parameter includes a threshold, and wherein determining that the plurality of electronic-ticket characteristics corresponds to the plurality of request parameters includes determining that the allocation parameter is equal to or less than the threshold.

17. The computer-program product as recited in claim 13, wherein the actions further include:

receiving, from a site controller, a second communication that identifies an electronic-ticket slot of the one or more electronic-ticket slots;

determining that the one or more electronic-ticket slots correspond to an assignment reflected in the assignment data corresponding to the event;

generating an access code that is indicative of a location for accessing the event; and

transmitting the access code to the site controller.