System and method for selling image-display time to customers of a public facility

• US 20030069762A1
• Filed: 10/04/2001
• Published: 04/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Haken, Jack E., Gathman, Laurie E.
• Application Number:
  US09/970,891
• Publication Number:
  US 20030069762A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A system and method for selling image-display time to customers of a public facility. The public facility includes an electronic ticket control system that communicates with customer virtual ticket devices that may hold electronic tickets to an event at the public facility. A camera in the public facility captures the image of a customer, which can be transmitted to the customer'"'"'s virtual ticket device along with an offer to display the image, or an enhanced version of the image, for a fee. Alternatively, the customer requests the camera to take an image of his location which is then broadcast to home viewers. The public facility charges a fee and informs the customer when the image will be taken so the customer can be at his seat.

Claims

1. A method of doing business, comprising the steps of:

providing a public facility electronic ticket control system for communicating with virtual ticket devices, the virtual ticket devices for storing electronic tickets that represent admission privileges for events at the public facility;

providing a communications link between at least one image-capturing device and the electronic ticket control system, the image capturing device for capturing an image of a subject located in the public-facility area;

transmitting an image-display message from the electronic ticket control system to at least one virtual ticket device.

2. The method of doing business of claim 1, further comprising the steps of

locating the at least one virtual ticket device;

and

capturing an image of a subject in the location of the at least one virtual ticket device.

3. The method of doing business of claim 2, wherein the image-display message from the electronic ticket control system includes an image file containing at least a portion of the captured image.

4. The method of doing business of claim 3, further comprising the step of receiving a message transmitted by the at least one virtual ticket device, the message containing a request to reposition the image-capturing device so as to alter the subject of the image being captured.

5. The method of doing business of claim 2, further comprising the step of providing at least one image-display device located in the public facility area for displaying at least a portion of the captured image.

6. The method of doing business of claim 5, further comprising the step of displaying at least a portion of the captured image on the at least one image-display device.

7. The method of doing business of claim 6, further comprising the step of enhancing the at least a portion of the captured image prior to displaying it.

8. The method of doing business of claim 1, wherein the electronic ticket control system is in communication with a network that transmits image data for display in locations outside the public-facility area, and further comprising the step of transmitting at least a portion of the captured image to the network.

9. The method of doing business of claim 8, wherein the network is a broadcast network.

10. The method of doing business of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving in the electronic ticket control system a message from a virtual ticket device, the virtual ticket device message being responsive to a previously transmitted image-display message.

11. The method of doing business of claim 10 wherein the virtual ticket device message includes an authorization to charge the virtual ticket device owner a fee for displaying at least a portion of the captured image.

12. The method of doing business of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a downloadable user interface for downloading to a virtual ticket device, and use in communicating with the electronic ticket control system.

13. A system for selling image display time to virtual ticket device users in a public facility area, comprising:

an electronic ticket control system;

at least one access point through which the electronic ticket and control system may communicate with a virtual ticket device;

at least one image-capturing device in the public-facility area and in communication with the electronic ticket control system; and

a processor in the electronic ticket control system for generating an image-display message to at least one virtual ticket device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the electronic ticket control system includes a virtual ticket device locator program for locating the at least one virtual ticket device.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising a downloadable user-interface program for downloading to virtual ticket devices.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising a display device in communication with the electronic ticket control system and located in the public-facility area.

17. The system of claim 13, further comprising a database for storing captured images.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the electronic ticket control system is in communication with a network for displaying captured images on display devices outside the public facility area and connected to the network.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the electronic ticket control system further comprises an enhancement facility for enhancing a captured image prior to transmitting the image for display.

20. A method of doing business, comprising providing a public facility electronic ticket control system for communicating with virtual ticket devices, the virtual ticket devices for storing electronic tickets that represent admission privileges for events at the public facility;

causing an image to be taken by an image capturing device of a position in the public facility corresponding to an electronic ticket; and

sending an offer for sale of the image to the virtual ticket device which stores the electronic ticket.

21. The method in accordance with claim 20, wherein the image is a photograph taken by a camera.

22. The method in accordance with claim 20, wherein the image is a virtual image and which is transmitted to the virtual image device upon completion of the sale.

23. The method in accordance with claim 21, wherein the photograph is given to the holder of the virtual ticket device upon completion of the sale.

24. The method in accordance with claims 20, wherein the image is a broadcast image which is broadcast upon completion of the sale.

25. The method in accordance with claim 24, wherein the image is broadcast within the stadium.

26. The method in accordance with claim 24, wherein the image is broadcast to home viewers of the event.

27. The method in accordance with claim 20, wherein a patron requests an image to be taken of his location via the virtual ticket device.

28. The method in accordance with claim 27, wherein the public facility informs the image capturing device of the location of the virtual ticket device via the electronic ticket information stored therein.

29. The method in accordance with claim 28, wherein a message is transmitted to the patron indicating the approximate time the image will be taken of his location.